Competition
by alexisbliss
Summary: Their school will hold one of the biggest competitions ever. Mei is very competitive and doesn't know the concept of losing. She will be asked to pair up with a free-spirited girl.
1. Getting to Know You

A little note:

This is an AU fiction. Mei Aihara and Yuzu Okogi are in their third year at a CoEd high school. I wanted to give Citrus a different twist (no pun intended).

I hope you enjoy this. :)

Just a little guide, _ITALICS are Yuzu's inner dialogues._

* * *

Alright, everyone! I have an announcement to make. We are going to hold a business plan competition and it's sponsored by one of the largest companies in Japan. We will have several teams of senior high school students. Each team will work in pair. We have written down all your names and picked your partners randomly. The purpose of this arrangement is to give you the opportunity to get to know other students before you graduate from high school," announced Uchida-sensei.

"Yuzucchi, I hope we'll be partners for this competition. I don't think I'll be able to work well with anyone else," Harumin said in the midst of a chaotic afternoon class. Most students were anxious and agonizing over whom they were going to be paired with.

"Yeah, Harumin. I can't think of a better partner for this competition. I don't even know about business but we can figure it out. Ah Gyarus don't need to learn a thing about business. Why does this have to happen?" Yuzu agonizingly said.

"There, there, Yuzucchi. I also don't agree with this," Harumin said consoling the blonde.

"What's the prize, anyway?" asked Yuzu.

"Well, if you win the first place, I heard that you can get a university scholarship grant. They'll pay for everything. Also, they will give our school some new gadgets," Harumin answered, "I don't think I have a chance in winning, besides, grandma has been generous enough to pledge to pay for my university."

"You're very lucky, Harumin." Yuzu looked out the window.

 _What a beautiful day. The sky looks really great._

"Yuzuchi, since your mom is an architect so you won't have any financial trouble for your education. Don't give me that sad face," Harumin tried to cheer her best friend.

"Yeah, you're right. It would be great to be able to support myself, too, but I don't think I can win this either," Yuzu sighed deeply.

"We're not meant for these kinds of things, Yuzucchi," Both Yuzu and Harumin sighed, "I wish there's a way we can escape from this."

"Do something, Harumin," Yuzu feigned cries, "Save us from all of this."

"OKOGI YUZUKO, you will be Aihara Mei's project partner from Class A!" Uchida-sensei shouted.

"What?!" shouted Yuzu out of astonishment.

"Is there a problem, Okogi-san?" the teacher stared at the astonished blonde.

"Uhmm, nothing really. I thought our partners will be from this class. Not that I'm complaining," Yuzu bowed her head in embarrassment.

"The faculty decided that it would be better to mix the classes to promote good bonding among seniors," the teacher explained still looking at Yuzu.

"Yuzucchi! You're in big trouble! Best of luck!" Harumin teased and patted Yuzu's shoulder.

"Don't say that, Harumin," Yuzu wiping a fake tear.

"How will you manage to work with Aihara Mei, Yuzucchi? She's the number one in our batch and she doesn't seem approachable," Harumin just adding salt to the injury.

"I don't know. Maybe, I'll visit a shrine and offer prayers to the gods," blurted Yuzu, "Save me, Harumin!"

"Come to think of it, you're going to learn a lot from the smartest and most beautiful senior in our batch, Yuzucchi," Harumin was patting Yuzu's head this time.

"What do you mean by that, Harumin?" asked Yuzu angrily.

"I mean, Aihara Mei is from a wealthy family and they have several businesses and investments, so you have a chance to win in this competition given that she has more experience than you," reasoned Harumin trying to ease Yuzu's dilemma.

"No! She's the ice queen. I haven't even talked to her from the first day I transferred here. Why is this happening, Harumin?" cried Yuzu.

"It's your karma, Yuzucchi! Remember you ditched me yesterday? We were supposed to go Karaoke. The universe is making you pay for that," teased Harumin.

"Oh well. I'm sorry for that, Harumin. Let's grab some ice cream after our class. Maybe the universe will forgive me for that," Yuzu tidied up her desk.

"Your treat, Yuzucchi!" shouted Harumin.

* * *

At the locker room...

"That was horrible, Harumin! Who ever came up with this competition idea must be out of their minds!" Yuzu blurted out angrily.

"Yeah, good thing I can tolerate my partner. She seems kind and easy to work with," Harumin chuckled.

"About that, how am I gonna deal with Aihara-san? I have no idea what she's like aside from the fact that she's a cold-blooded b..." said Yuzu before she was interrupted.

"Okogi-san," someone shouted from afar.

Both Yuzu and Harumin turned to the girl.

"Oh, it's the VP, Yuzucchi! Are you in trouble?" Harumin gave Yuzu a concerned look.

"I don't even know her, Harumin! How can I be in trouble?" Yuzu raised her voice.

"A pleasant afternoon, Okogi-san. My name is Himeko Momokino," the girl introduced herself and extended a hand towards Yuzu.

"Uhhm, nice to meet you, Momokino-san," answered Yuzu and shook Himeko's hand.

"I heard about you pairing up with Aihara Mei for the business plan competition. You know, Aihara Mei is the number one student in our batch and the president of the student council. Losing is an unfamiliar concept to her. When I heard that Uchida-sensei picked your name as Aihara Mei's partner, I got worried for you, Okogi-san," Himeko raised her head to make eye contact with the taller girl.

 _What is Himeko trying to say that I'm not capable to be Aihara-san's partner for this competition?_

"That said, Aihara Mei is a perfectionist and she needs someone who understands this side of her," Himeko continued.

 _Someone who understands this side of Aihara Mei? What is this girl talking about?_

"So, Okogi-san, you still have a chance to withdraw from being Aihara Mei's partner. This will free you from all the worries you'd potentially have to go through with the competition," Himeko gave her a devious smile.

 _I see what she's trying to do. Although this sounds like a really good proposal. Then I wouldn't have to deal with someone I don't have anything in common with._

"What can you say, Okogi-san? I will gladly take your place," Himeko looked at Yuzu.

"Yuzucchi, this is your chance to back out. You'll have more free time and you don't have to worry dealing with the ice queen," Harumin whispered.

"Hmmm, you have a point, Momokino-san. I mean I really don't know Aihara-san. I don't know how to even talk to her," Yuzu said, "but as a partner, I think she has the right to know about this, out of respect."

"What are you talking about, Yuzucchi?! She doesn't have to know about this," Harumin growled.

"I see. Let me know if you changed your mind. We still have 48 hours to finalize the partnerships for this competition. Save my number on your phone. Rather, let's exchange contact details," Himeko searched for her phone.

Yuzu grabbed her phone from her bag and hesitantly added Himeko's mobile number, "Okay. Got it!"

"I'll see you around and do give me a call or text me," Himeko turned away and waved at Yuzu and Harumin.

Yuzu sighed deeply, "That was intense, Harumin."

"Looks like the Prez is a hot item," Harumin said, "That was a really good proposal, Yuzucchi."

"I know. I wanted to say 'yes' to Momokino-san but something held me back," Yuzu reasoned out.

"You know what, you're right, Yuzucchi. The Prez also needs to know about this, out of respect and courtesy," Harumin nodded, 'Good call, Yuzucchi. Now let's grab some ice cream."

* * *

As Yuzu and Harumin made their way out of the school premises, someone approached them by the gate. "Okogi-san, hey, wait up!" a handsome guy shouted as he spotted the girls.

 _Oh my gosh! It's the soccer team captain. He's so cute! I hope he's going to confess his feelings for me._

"Yes?" Yuzu said as she and Harumin turned to the handsome young man.

"Hi, I'm Ryusuke Taro," he gave them a nice smile.

 _His eyes are so beautiful and his hair is styled really well._

"I'm Okogi.." Yuzu said as she was interrupted by Taro.

"I know. You're Okogi Yuzuko. It's nice to meet you, Okogi-san," Taro gave her a devilish smile and a wink.

 _I think my heart just melted._

"Please call me Yuzu. It's nice to meet you too," Yuzu played coy.

 _How does he know my name? What does he want?_

"Okay, Yuzu. You may call me Taro. Yeah, from what I heard you're Aihara Mei's project partner for the business plan competition, right?" Taro asked.

 _That's what this is all about! Great! Another one of Aihara Mei's fans._

"Uhmmm, yes. I suppose that's true," said Yuzu as she finally realized Taro's intention.

"Say, do you want to switch partners with me, Yuzu? My current project partner is a really nice girl whom you can get along with easily," Taro looked straight at Yuzu's green eyes.

"So, you want to be Aihara Mei's project partner?" Yuzu arched her left brow.

"Look, I really like Aihara Mei. And since this is going to be a 6-week project, this will give me a chance to get to know her and be with her. Don't worry, I'll do anything that you want, in exchange," Taro pleaded.

 _The ice queen is really something._

"Ryusuke-san, thank you for the offer but isn't this something that you have to confess to Aihara-san? It would be easier if you just confess your true feelings without going though this kind of trouble, don't you think?" Yuzu said as sternly as she could.

"You're right, Yuzu. In case you changed your mind, I'll be at the soccer field tomorrow afternoon. Meet me there or just save my number," Taro grabbed Yuzu's phone by her hand and typed his contact number.

 _This guy is so persistent._

"There's no need to give me your number because I got it from one of your classmates earlier," Taro said as he saved his number and returned the phone, "Take care and I'll see you around," shouted Taro as he was heading back to the soccer field."

Both girls waved him goodbye.

"Yuzucchi, he's very cute. I was speechless," sighed Harumin admiring Taro's good looks.

"He is but he likes my project partner, Harumin"

"This is starting to get annoying. Prez is getting all the attention. How about us, ordinary humans? How can we get such attention?" Harumin simply nodded her head.

"Come on, Harumin. Let's get going! There's plenty of fish in the sea," Yuzu laughed and grabbed Harumin's arm.

 _Well, I can't blame people being attracted to Aihara-san. Come to think of it, she's very beautiful even if she appears to be cold._

* * *

The following morning...

"Yuzucchi, I'm finally glad you're here! What took you so long? Harumin raised her voice.

 _What is wrong with Harumin? I'm not even late._

"Stop that! I'm not even late for class, Harumin," Yuzu retorted.

"Good morning, Okogi-san," a voice emerged from one of the girls in the room.

 _What is she doing here?_

The girl who greeted Yuzu approached her.

"I'm Aihara Mei. I'll be your project partner for the business plan competition. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said giving Yuzu a slight bow.

"Ahh, yeah," Yuzu was dumbfounded as she almost forgot about the project, "Nice to meet you, Aihara-san. My name is Okogi Yuzuko. Please call me, Yuzu," she continued and also gave a slight bow.

"Alright, Yuzu. It's a pleasure to meet you. I decided to greet you in person and to let you know that I'm looking forward to working with you for this competition," the raven-haired said as she raised her head and made eye contact with Yuzu.

"Hey, there's no need to be too formal, Aihara-san," Yuzu responded, "I'm pleased to be your project partner."

"Please call me Mei," she gave Yuzu a smile.

"Okay, Mei," Yuzu smiled back.

I also want to give you my contact information. I have written it down earlier," Mei leaned over to Yuzu and whispered as she handed Yuzu a piece of folded paper, "Please keep this confidential."

"Thank you, Mei. I'll save it on my phone. I won't spread your number," Yuzu pulled away gently.

"Let me have your number as well so I can keep you updated with the details of the competition," Mei still making eye contact.

"Oh yeah, sure. Do you have your phone with you? I can just type it, you know," Yuzu opened her palm gesturing Mei to give her phone.

"I left it in the student council room. I try to avoid using it on school hours so I won't get distracted," Mei replied.

Harumin handed Yuzu her notebook and a pen.

"I'll write down my number and my email address," Yuzu wrote her contact details, tore the page of the notebook after and gave it to Mei.

"Thank you. I'll head back to my homeroom. Our classes are about to start. I apologize for the unexpected visit," Mei took the paper.

"There's no need to apologize. Just give me a call or send me a text if you need anything," Yuzu blurted out as Mei was getting out of their homeroom.

 _What was that? Why do I feel nervous? That was unexpected. She smelled really nice. I wonder what perfume she is using._

"Yuzucchi, thank goodness, you came just in the right time. I didn't know how to talk to her," Harumin said wiping a fake sweat on her forehead.

"Why is everyone staring at us, Harumin? Our classmates can be so strange," Yuzu scanned the room only to be met by prying eyes.

"Well, Yuzucchi, you've only been visited by the most talked-about person in our campus. Everyone seems jealous of the attention you got from the Prez," whispered Harumin.

"Huh?" Yuzu raised her left brow.

"I must admit, Yuzucchi, the Prez looks really gorgeous up close, doesn't she? I noticed how pretty and long her lashes were. Uggh. I hate her. She's so perfect!" Harumin said clenching both of her fists.

"There, there, Harumin. You're beautiful in your own way," Yuzu chuckled.

"Hey Yuz," Toshi shouted from the back.

She watched him approach with a big grin on his face.

"Yeah, Toshi?" Yuzu raised her left brow.

"I thought I saw an angel earlier. So, wanna swap partners with me? I can be Aihara Mei's project partner," Toshi gave Yuzu his usual smug look.

"Sure, you'd have to ask her first," retorted Yuzu.

"You know I can never do that. I can't even think straight when she's around," Toshi admitted defeat while looking on the ground.

"Toshi, you can try. But you'd have to wait in line. I think she has a long list of admirers," Yuzu giggled.

"That's why, I came to you. Dammit! I want the easy way out," Toshi blurted.

"Hey Toshi, give it up already! You're no match with the soccer team captain. He's on the list as well, you know," Harumin interrupted.

"Yeah, right. I'll just try harder," Toshi turned away and went back to his seat waving his right hand.

* * *

"Class dismissed. That's all for today. Please take care on your way home!' Uchida-sensei announced.

"Harumin, wanna go hang out with me at the manga cafe later? I need to de-stress my mind before the project starts," Yuzu stood up.

"Kayy, sure," Harumin hurriedly put all her belongings in her bag.

Yuzu checked her phone for a new message.

 **From: 090-1790-xxxx**

 **Okogi-san, can we talk? I want to discuss our project with you?**

 **I have a few ideas that I want to share. Is that okay with you?**

 **Aihara Mei**

 _This was sent an hour ago. I'm in trouble!_

"Harumin, I'm afraid I'd have to cancel our trip to the manga cafe. I got a message from Mei. She sent it an hour ago. She wants to meet with me to discuss some ideas about our project," Yuzu scratched her head.

"Really? This early?" I haven't even given a thought about it yet!" blurted Harumin.

"I'm very sorry, Harumin. I'll make it up to you next time," Yuzu hurriedly fixed her desk and placed all her stuff in the bag.

"You're working with a perfectionist, Yuzucchi! At this rate, I think you'll both win the scholarship grants," Harumin smiled at Yuzu.

 _Scholarship grants? It would be great to win a scholarship grant and not let Mama worry about money for my education for a change._

"See you, Harumin!" Yuzu ran out the room.

Out of nowhere, she bumped into Mei and lost her balance.

"Yuzu, are you okay?" Mei held Yuzu's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Mei. Are you hurt?" Yuzu bent down to pick some of the stuff she dropped.

"Of course, I'm not. As I didn't get a reply from you, I decided to go to your classroom and talk to you in person," Mei bent down to help Yuzu.

"Oh, sorry! I forgot to reply. I was about to run to meet you at the student council. I should have replied first. Sorry," Yuzu explained as she placed some notebooks in her bag.

"It's okay. I understand. You know, it feels strange to see your classmates staring at us," Mei was subtly scanning the classroom.

"I'm sorry. They're just your starstruck fans," Yuzu joked, as both of them were now standing up.

"Starstruck fans?" Mei raised a brow.

"They just don't expect to get get a visit from the most popular girl in the campus, so uhmmm...," Yuzu continued.

"I see," Mei tried to hide the small blush forming on her cheeks.

 _Oh my gosh! Mei is probably not aware of that. Doesn't she know that she's the most popular person in school?_

"I'm kidding, Mei. I'm sorry for making you feel uncomfortable," Yuzu apologized as she noticed Mei simply looking on the ground.

"There's no need to apologize. It's probably me who needs to say sorry for dropping by unannounced," Mei raised her head to be face-to-face with Yuzu.

 _Oh wow! Harumin is right. Mei has beautiful eyelashes. Perhaps, I should get an eyelash extension to match Aihara-san's. And she's slightly taller than me._

"No worries, Mei. About your text message. I'm curious to know the ideas you've come up with," Yuzu said looking straight at Mei's lavender eyes.

"Uhm, you see, Yuzu. I have learned this from my father. Before he works with a business partner or hires someone to work for his company, he makes them answer 20 Getting-to-know-you questions," Mei explained.

"Getting to know you questions?" Yuzu tilted her head.

"Yes. He says that these questions help build trust between business partners or people at work. But... you don't have to do this if you don't want to," Mei gave Yuzu a pleading look.

"Hey, I want to do that, Mei! That sounds like a great idea!" exclaimed Yuzu.

 _What am I talking about? What kind of questions am I going to answer?_

"Thank you, Yuzu. There's a newly open Crepe House two blocks away from our school. If you're free tomorrow after class, we can both answer these questions there. Are you alright with this?" Mei smiled at Yuzu.

"Of course, I'm totally free tomorrow, Mei! I know that place. Been there once and I loved their strawberry ice cream crepe," declared Yuzu.

"That's very nice to hear! I'll be there at 5:30PM after my last meeting. Is that okay?" Mei looked at Yuzu unconsciously batting her lashes.

"President!" a voice was hear outside their classroom.

"Good afternoon, Himeko," Mei answered back politely.

"It's a pleasure seeing you here, President. We've done all our patrolling duties and completed the tasks for today," Himeko replied proudly.

"Thank you very much for your hard work, Himeko. I completely appreciate it," Mei said in a soft-spoken way.

"There's no need to thank me, President. I'm glad to do all those things for you," Himeko retorted glancing at Yuzu, "What brought you here, President?"

"I just decided to share my ideas with my project partner, Okogi Yuzuko. Also, I wanted to introduce myself formally. Oh, by the way, Himeko, This is Okogi Yuzuko,"

Both Yuzu and Himeko were speechless for a full minute.

"It's nice to meet you, Okogi-san," Himeko said with a slight bow pretending it was her first time to meet Yuzu.

 _Why is Momokino pretending like it's our first time to meet each other?_

"Yeah, nice to meet you too, Mo..," Yuzu said before she was interrupted by Himeko.

"It's Momokino Himeko," Himeko glared at Yuzu.

"Momokino-san, please call me Yuzu," Yuzu just played along

 _Okay, I can have fun with this. Besides, I have some acting skills._

"Yuzu and I are going to discuss our ideas further tomorrow at the newly opened Crepe House," Mei interrupted to explain her intention.

"What?!" Himeko blurted out.

"Is there a problem, Himeko?" Mei looked at Himeko with a strange expression.

"Oh, nothing. I think it's a great idea," Himeko lied brimming with jealousy and confusion. Mei has never invited her anywhere.

"Did you agree to go, Okogi-san?" Himeko still glaring at Yuzu.

"Y...yes. Mei shared wonderful ideas and I would like to get to know her more," Yuzu tried to hide her fear.

"Get to know her?" asked Himeko with a confused look.

"Yuzu and I are going to get to know each other better before planning our project. It's one of my father's techniques to build trust and good relationship with his business partners and to elicit loyalty from his employees," Mei looked at Himeko and gave her a formal explanation.

"That's a good idea!" shouted Himeko concealing her burning anger. Her jealousy is taking on a whole new level knowing the fact that Mei has never had this type of getting-to-know-each-other activity with her.

"Thank you, Himeko."

"Not a problem, President," Himeko clenched a fist.

I'll get going now. Thank you for your time, Yuzu. I'm looking forward to our meeting tomorrow. I'll see you around," Mei gracefully made her way outside Yuzu's classroom.


	2. Chapter 2 - What Are You Most Afraid Of?

Hello,

Thank you for reading the first chapter of Competition. I hope you're enjoying this story, so far.

I appreciate the comments you left. Here is chapter 2. Hope you like this, too. :)

Just a little guide, _ITALICS are Yuzu's inner dialogues or thoughts._

Chapter 2: What Are You Most Afraid Of?

* * *

At the Crepe House...

Just a few blocks away from their school lies a small and lovely establishment called the Yuugen Crepe House.

"Good afternoon, Miss. May I take your order?" a waitress said, giving Mei a nice smile. Mei arrived at least 30 minutes before their agreed time. Their student council meeting was rescheduled the following week.

"Good afternoon. Yes, please, just one Purple Taro Ice Cream Crepe," Mei answered, casually glancing at the menu.

"Just one Purple Taro Ice Cream Crepe? Would you like to have a cup of coffee?" the waitress suggested, writing down Mei's order.

"Perhaps, that will do for now. Thank you," Mei retorted.

"No problem, Miss. Just let me know when you need anything else," the waitress said, putting the pen in her pocket.

"Thank you very much," Mei smiled, closing the menu and putting it aside.

"Hey, Mei!"

The raven haired girl turned to search for the voice who called her. She spotted the blonde and waved softly to acknowledge her presence.

Yuzu walked over to Mei and exclaimed, "Wow! You're an early bird, aren't you, Mei?" Yuzu still in her uniform slightly bowed.

 _Why am I suddenly bowing?_

"Thank you for coming today, Yuzu," Mei slightly bowed as well.

"Oh, uhmm. I'm happy to see you," Yuzu uttered random phrases and smiled at Mei.

 _I don't understand why I'm nervous around Mei._

"I see. I hope you don't mind me ordering in advance," Mei said, opening a folder she brought from home.

"Course not! Oh wow! Your top looks really good on you. It brings out the color of your eyes," Yuzu admiring Mei's outfit. Mei wore a casual outfit, high-waist jeans and purple long sleeved top that beautifully flatters her figure. Everyone at school admires her taste in clothing. They say that she looks good in almost anything because she's genetically-gifted and she makes simple attires look elegant.

"I'm sorry for changing into something casual. The student council meeting was rescheduled, therefore, I had enough time to return home and change into something comfortable," Mei gestured Yuzu to sit on her left side. Most of the indoor seats offer stunning views of the surrounding area.

"No worries! It suits you well! Please don't mind me in my uniform," Yuzu gave out a bright smile.

"I don't mind at all," Mei nodded sideways.

The waitress approached their table, "Hi, here's your Purple Taro Ice Cream and a glass of water. Is there anything else that you'd like?

"How about you, Yuzu? The other day you mentioned about their Strawberry Ice Cream Crepe. Would you like to have one?" Mei said, waiting for Yuzu's answer expectantly.

 _She remembers it! That's so nice of her._

"Yep! Strawberry Ice Cream Crepe is perfect!" Yuzu flashed a big smile at the waitress and back at Mei.

"Okay, one Strawberry Ice Cream Crepe," The waitress bowed and walked away.

"Yuzu, I actually printed out the questions earlier at home. I rephrased the questions to suit us. Here's your copy, by the way," Mei handed Yuzu a folder, "I also made sure to leave some spaces between questions, in case you would like to take down notes."

"Thanks, Mei. You're awesome," Yuzu smiled at Mei and took her copy, "Oh, your crepe might melt if you don't take a bite."

"Oh... I almost forgot about it. Is it okay if I'd take a bite or two while waiting for your order?" Mei asked, always being the ladylike.

"If you won't take a bite, I might as well do it for you," Yuzu giggled.

"I see," Mei took a bite as Yuzu watched.

 _She didn't laugh. I probably suck at making jokes. Oh well... at least I tried._

"This might feel strange for you to have this kind of meeting, Yuzu. Just let me know if you don't feel comfortable answering some of the questions," Mei slightly glanced at Yuzu.

"Got it, Mei!" Yuzu straightened her back and took a pen from her bag.

Both girls scanning and reviewing the questions.

 _These are great questions. Mei surely did put a lot of effort into creating this._

"Would you like to start? We can take turns asking and answering questions," Mei still glancing at her copy, "I'll try my best to be as honest as I can."

 _Okay... As honest as she can? Does that mean I'll also have to be as honest as I can? This is stressful!_

"Oh sure! Here it goes, Mei. Question no. 5. What is your favorite family tradition?" Yuzu said, turning to her right to look at Mei.

Mei sighed deeply, "That's a good question," Mei slouched back, "I don't know how to answer that, though. But I'll try my best,"

 _I should have asked something else... I hope she's not mad._

"My parents are usually working everyday and we rarely have moments together as a family. I have accepted the fact that our businesses are my father's top priority," Mei sighed deeply.

 _Oh. I feel a bit sad._

"When I was little, he used to take me to a theme park every Sunday and I really enjoyed the bear-shaped cotton candies," Mei smiled a little, recalling her past.

 _That's so cute._

"I remember one time when I just carried the cotton candy the whole time we were at the park because I didn't want to ruin it," Mei looked out the window with slight longing.

"Hey, if you're not comfortable to continue, it's okay Mei. I can take that answer," Yuzu nodded and placed a hand on Mei's shoulder.

"I can continue. Don't worry, Yuzu," she gave Yuzu a reassuring look, "We rarely get together as a family, these days. But I understand. In our situation, running away from responsibilities is never an option."

"I can keep it a secret, if you want to, Mei," Yuzu looked at Mei and softened her expression.

"It's not a secret, Yuzu. I appreciate it, though. I believe it's my turn to ask you a question?" Mei scanned the questions on her folder.

"Yeah! Sure! Please do!" Yuzu shouted.

 _What am I talking about? Why can't I just say a straight 'YES?"_

"Question no. 15. What are you most passionate about, Yuzu?" Mei looked at Yuzu with a curious expression.

 _What am I most passionate about? I don't know! But I have to give her an answer somehow. Brain, help me this time!_

"That's an interesting question, Mei. I'm passionate about making people happy, especially the ones I love," Yuzu wiping a fake sweat on her forehead.

"Making people happy?" Mei slightly raised a brow.

"You see, I'm not really talented in a lot of things. I'm not as smart as you are either. The only thing I'm good at is making others happy. I guess, it's my only talent," Yuzu said, lowering her voice on her last sentence and and stared out the window.

"That's not really a bad thing. It's a difficult talent to make others happy. So, you earn my respect," Mei nodded in agreement.

 _Really?! I earned her respect? Does that mean I answered the question correctly?_

"I'll take that as a compliment, Mei. Thanks. Guess it's my turn to ask you," Yuzu said, clicking her pen, "Let me see, Question no. 3. Who inspires you, Mei?"

"That's... a tough question to answer," Mei rested both hands together on top of the folder.

"If you want to, I can change the question," Yuzu glanced at Mei.

"No, Yuzu, it's a good question. If I'm honest with myself, people with so much freedom inspire me," Mei tilted her head.

 _What does Mei mean?_

"I have always wanted to know how it feels like to be free. I mean, in my situation, I always feel like I'm constantly being judged because of my family background," she continued.

 _I was probably one of those people. I feel guilty._

"To tell you the truth, Yuzu, I don't like attending parties or social gatherings but I have to as a successor of our family's businesses," Mei pressed her left hand to shake off some nerves.

"Hey, people like you inspire me, Mei. You're very determined at a young age. I wish I have your drive and motivation," Yuzu noticed a concerned expression on Mei.

 _This girl is really interesting. I feel guilty for judging her. I regret the times I called her an ice queen. She's anything but that. I'm very sorry, Mei._

"You're very kind, Yuzu," Mei said softly.

"Sorry to interrupt, beautiful ladies. A gentleman over there bought you a couple of Affogatos with no alcohol, of course. It's one of our bestsellers," the waitress said, pointing to a tall man in a business casual attire across them, "That's all, I'll head back to the kitchen. Sorry for the short interruption."

"Thank you, Miss" exclaimed the girls and looked at the man.

"This looks yummy. How do you spell 'aff-a...," Yuzu furrowed her brow.

"It's Affogato," Mei pointed the item on the menu and smiled a little.

"Thanks, Mei," Yuzu looked at the menu and chuckled, "We have to thank the guy who bought these for us," Yuzu looked over the tall man five tables away from them.

"Yuzu, he's approaching us," Mei grabbed Yuzu's right forearm.

"We can handle this, Mei. I got this!" Yuzu rested her hand over Mei's.

The man smiled at the both them, "Hi, I'm glad that you've accepted the Affogato. My name is Tadashi Eiji. Just call me Eiji," he extended his hand for a handshake.

"Thank you for this delightful dessert, Eiji. I'm sorry for the trouble," Mei said, giving Eiji a casual smile.

"No way! It's no trouble at all!" Eiji nodded.

"Yeah, thanks for this, Eiji! Glad to meet you!" Yuzu shook his hand casually.

"May I join you, beautiful ladies?" He stared at the vacant seat across the girls.

"To be honest, we're having an important meeting right now. I'm afraid I might have to turn that down. I'm sorry," Mei looked straight at Eiji's eyes.

"Okay. I'm very sorry for bothering you. I just... think that you're extremely pretty," Eiji looked at the ground and gathered some courage to ask Mei, "Can I just have your number, instead?

"I appreciate the compliment, Tadashi-san. But I don't think my girlfriend would approve of that," Mei turned to Yuzu to ask for back up.

 _What is Mei saying? Girlfriend? Me? Okay, here goes my acting skills..._

"Yeah, I won't approve of that!" Yuzu acted stern and unconsciously pointed a finger at Eiji.

"You girls are lying. You're not really girlfriends," Eiji gave them a smug look.

"Yuzu," Mei turned to Yuzu and softly grabbed her face, "Please, close your eyes," Mei whispered and kissed Yuzu on the lips to the astonishment of the blonde and of everyone in the establishment.

Everyone's jaw dropped at the sight of Mei and Yuzu kissing. It lasted for about ten seconds.

"Mmm" sighed Yuzu and opened her eyes as Mei pulled back gently.

 _What happened? Did we just kiss? My mind went blank!_

"Has that removed your doubts, Tadashi-san?" Mei turned to Eiji and made fierce eye contact.

The waitress snapped a finger at Eiji, "What seems to be the problem here? Is this man bothering you?"

"No, he just wanted to introduce himself. Is that right, Tadashi-san?" Mei arched her brow.

"Yes! That's right!" Eiji snapped back to reality, "Thanks! Nice to meet you! I'll go back to my table now." Eiji walked away still in disbelief.

"Yuzu, I hope you didn't mind me doing that. Sometimes, it's the best way to drive annoying guys away," Mei said, glancing casually at the folder.

 _That was my first kiss with a girl. Why do I feel butterflies in my stomach? Can't believe we just kissed!_

"Ahh, uhmmm," Yuzu stuttered.

"I'm sorry if it bothered you, Yuzu. I didn't mean to do that," Mei stared at the folder.

"It's okay, Mei. I would have done the same thing to drive a guy away," Yuzu lied, hiding her confusion.

 _I would have done the same thing? Probably not! I don't understand myself! Why do I seem to like the kiss?_

"Let's finish this Affogato and continue with our meeting, alright?" Mei suggested.

* * *

The following morning.

"Hey, what happened, Yuzucchi? You look troubled," Harumin leaned closely.

"Nothing, Harumin. I just had a long day yesterday," Yuzu sighed deeply.

 _Why did Mei kiss me? Of course it was to drive that guy away. I don't understand. Why do I seem to like the kiss? Do I like the kiss? Her lips were soft and the kiss felt good. Ughhhh!_

"Earth to Yuzucchi," whispered Harumin.

"I'm sorry, Harumin. I didn't get enough sleep last night," Yuzu slightly raised head to look at Harumin.

"You had a meeting with the Prez yesterday. How did it go?" Harumin stared at Yuzu.

 _How can I ever tell Harumin about what happened? About the kiss?_

"It was great. I learned a lot," Yuzu checked her phone.

"Huh? It doesn't seem like you! Since when did you enjoy meetings? Harumin mirrored Yuzu and also decided to check her phone.

 _Since Mei kissed me. What?! What am I thinking about?_

"Mei is a very interesting person. I feel guilty for saying bad things about her before we had the chance to get to know each other," Yuzu said, randomly checking some apps.

"Hmmm, seems like she was able to successfully make you her fan," Harumin started playing a game on her phone.

 _A fan? I guess so._

"Yeah, maybe," Yuzu said, playing a game on her phone.

"What did you two talk about?" Harumin said, keeping her focus on the game.

"We answered some questions to get to know each other. Mei prepared a list. At first, I thought it was strange but I sorta enjoyed it," Yuzu sighed and locked her phone.

"What?! A list of questions? You guys are taking this really seriously! I mean the Prez is. Well, that's expected. She's a perfectionist," Harumin continued to cut fruits by swiping her phone screen. She's playing Fruit Ninja.

"I find Mei really interesting after our meeting yesterday," Yuzu took out a notebook from her bag.

 _I now have a different level of respect towards Mei after she opened up about her family._

"Really?" Harumin turned to look at Yuzu.

"Mei and I grew up in a very different environment. Mom has raised me on her own after my dad passed away," Yuzu opened her notebook. Yuzu's mother instilled in the blonde the value of freedom. She was never pressured to achieve things rather she was always encouraged to pursue what she loves.

"Your mom is amazing, Yuzucchi!" Harumin said, placing her phone in the bag.

"Mei seems constantly pressured to live up to expectations," the blonde rested her head on the desk.

"Yuzucchi, your phone is ringing!" Harumin turned towards Yuzu.

"Oh, it's on low volume. How did you know that, Harumin?" Yuzu slightly panicked and grabbed her phone from her bag.

"That's because I'm a psychic, Yuzucchi," Harumin laughed.

"Oh no, it's Mei!," exclaimed Yuzu.

 **Hello?"**

 **"Hi, Yuzu. How are you?"**

 **"Uhmm, I'm okay. Just at the classroom,"** **How 'bout you, Mei?"**

 **"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks. About yesterday, we still haven't finished answering some important questions. If you're free at noon, could we meet at the cafeteria to continue where we left off?"**

 **"Oh yeah. There are still some questions left,"**

 _Questions? How about asking how you felt when you kissed me._

 **"Is it possible for you to meet me at noon? I need to gather the answers to figure out the best business ideas for the competition."**

 **"Okay! Great! Noon it is! See you at the cafeteria!"**

 **"Thank you, Yuzu. That will be all. I'll be hanging up now."**

 **"Bye Mei!"** exclaimed Yuzu. Everyone stared at her.

"Yuz, so you're now friends with Mei huh? Can I have her number?!" Toshi shouted from the back.

"How did you get her number, Yuzu! Aki, one of her classmates approached her, "We've tried searching the internet for her contact details and asked around but we failed! Now she's calling you!?"

"Come on, Yuz! Give us her number!" Toshi insisted.

"You guys, stop acting like dogs in heat!" Harumin came to the rescue, "If you want her number, just go ask the Prez!"

"Thanks, Harumin!" Yuzu playfully hugged Harumin.

"Jeez, Yuzucchi! Let me go!" Harumin tried to break the hug.

"Why is this happening, Harumin?!" Yuzu went back to her seat.

"Aihara Mei's popularity will surely rub off on you anytime soon, Yuzucchi! Isn't that great? You'll rise up through the ranks easily!" Harumin burst out laughing.

 _Mei genuinely doesn't want all the attention given to her. I wonder how she handles all the pressures and attention surrounding her?_

* * *

At the cafeteria...

Their school cafeteria is a work of art. A wall has been painted by a Japanese national artist, Ejiro Tohaku, who once was a student at their school. It also has natural lighting. The wall of windows look out over the trees and the soccer field. If you ask any student from their school about their favorite facility, most of them would say it's the cafeteria. The student council headed by Aihara Mei proposed an idea, a year ago, to promote healthy nutrition among students.

"Look, Yuzucchi! There's the Prez!" Harumin pointed at Mei's location.

Yuzu turned back, "Oh yeah, I saw her."

 _Why is my heart beating fast?_

"Then why did you turn your back?" Harumin said, glancing at Yuzu.

"I don't know. I still feel intimidated by her," Yuzu placed a hand on her chest to stop her heart from racing.

"She invited you to join her for lunch. Don't be silly!" Harumin grabbed Yuzu's arm.

"Join us, Harumin!" Yuzu swirled.

"Oh, I can't. I have other plans. Besides, I'm on a diet. Being here won't help me lose weight. C'mon Yuzucchi!" Harumin tried to drag Yuzu.

"Harumin, walk me to her," Yuzu begged.

"You're silly! Come here, I'll walk you to her table."

Before they reached Mei's table, they saw a male student approach her.

"Yuzucchi, I bet he's going to invite the Prez for lunch or something else. What do you think?" Harumin flicked her hand under her chin.

"I guess so," Yuzu answered, watching the scene.

"By the looks of it, Prez turned him down. Poor boy!" Harumin chuckled.

"I wonder how she handles all this attention," Yuzu tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well, we will never know, Yuzucchi! Come on, let's get going. You have a date with the Prez," teased Harumin.

"A date? You're crazy! It's a meeting!" Yuzu glared at Harumin.

"Don't be so serious! I was just teasing," Harumin laughed.

"Yuzu, over here!" Mei waved a hand at them.

"Bye, Yuzucchi! See ya later!" Harumin turned away and hurried out the cafeteria.

 _We can do this, Yuzu!_

"Hey, Mei!" Yuzu flashed a smile and walked towards Mei.

"Have you had lunch yet?" Mei gestured Yuzu to sit.

"Not really hungry, Mei!" Yuzu sat across the table.

"Isn't the weather nice today?" Mei looked out over the trees, "This is my favorite spot because from here you can clearly see the beautiful scenery outside."

Yuzu turned around and looked out over the soccer field and noticed Taro waving at her, "Yeah, it's a fine day. The trees are waving in the wind."

 _Why is Taro waving at us?_

"I like the movement of trees in the wind. It feels like it has something new to bless," Mei rested her chin on one hand.

 _That's so deep, Mei._

"What are you most afraid of, Mei? That's question no. 7. I think it's my turn to ask a question?" Yuzu nervously turned to face Mei.

"You're quite clever, Yuzu," Mei gave Yuzu a soft look and rested her hands on the table.

"I wanna know if Aihara Mei has any fears," Yuzu looked straight at those twinkling lavender eyes.

"Well, Yuzu, if I tell you I have to kill you," Mei smirked.

 _She's so cute when she does that. Oh my gosh! These butterflies again!_

"Is there anything that you're afraid of?" Yuzu broke the eye contact.

"Yes. In fact, there is. If you promise you won't tell anyone, I'd answer that," Mei gave Yuzu a serious look.

"Promise!" Yuzu raised her right hand.

"Alright, I trust you. My deepest fear is that... I might not truly know how it feels like to fall in love," Mei answered, trying to keep a calm face and sighed deeply, "My parents... they never married for love. I fear that I may not know what love really is."

 _I feel like I want to cry._

Yuzu bowed her head then raised it slightly to make eye contact with the raven-haired, "Mei, I'm sorry to ask you that question."

 _I really wanna give her a hug._

"I might have to ask you to keep this a secret, Yuzu," Mei turned to look at her copy.

"Cross my heart!" Yuzu blurted.

"Question no. 2, Yuzu, where's your favorite place in the world?" Mei looked straight into Yuzu's green eyes.

"Well, Mei. My favorite place is Kyoto. When my father was still alive, we used to live in Kyoto. I used to go biking with him peacefully through almost any part and we would come across historical sites and local restaurants. Probably, it is because of his memory that I like Kyoto," Yuzu answered, smiling at the remembrance of her childhood.

"I often visit Kyoto and I agree it's a beautiful place. I'm sorry to hear that your father passed away," Mei made a soft eye contact with Yuzu.

"It was a long time ago, Mei. It's okay," Yuzu gave her a nice smile.

"Hey, Yuzu!" Taro yelled.

 _Oh, it's Taro! What does he want?_

"Do you know him, Yuzu?" Mei glanced at Taro approaching their table.

"Uhmmm, kinda," Yuzu tried to hide her anxiety.

 _Dunno what to do. Help me!_

"Hello, Yuzu. I saw you through the window from the soccer field. I waved but you ignored me. I just came by to say "hi," Taro glanced at Mei.

"Hi there, Taro," Yuzu hesitantly greeted.

"Uh..." was all Taro could utter, mesmerized by Mei's presence.

Yuzu stood up and snapped a finger, "Taro! Are you okay?" The blonde slightly giggled.

Taro was startled and glanced at Yuzu, "Yeah, uhmm..."

"Mei, I'd like you to meet Ryusuke Taro. He's the soccer team captain," Yuzu said, patting Taro's shoulder and gestured him to extend a hand towards Mei.

"I'm Ryusuke Taro. Just call me, Taro, please," Taro responded, doing the 45-degree bow.

"It's nice to meet you, Taro. My name is Aihaira Mei," Mei just gave him a slight bow and raised her head quickly.

 _This is awkward. Can anybody help me?!_

"You can stop bowing now, Taro," Yuzu whispered.

Taro straightened himself immediately, "I'm sorry. uhhh... we have a soccer game tomorrow. Will you please watch our game, Aihara Mei?" Taro said, anxiously waiting for Mei's response.

"As long as Yuzu will join us, then, I don't see anything wrong with that," the raven haired girl fashionably retorted and gave Yuzu a glance.

"Yuzu, say, 'Yes!" Taro growled and stared at Yuzu.

 _Why am I suddenly put on the spot? What do I do? I wish Harumin was here!_

"Uhhhhhh..." Yuzu said as both Mei and Taro waited expectantly for her answer.

 _They're both staring at me. Mei looks very cute though. What am I thinking? Of course Taro is cute but Mei is... Stop beating so fast, heart!_

"Yes!" Yuzu answered, breathing out heavily.

"Yes!" Taro shouted holding a victory fist. Everyone stared at their table, "I'm sorry," Taro looked around and gave everyone an apologetic bow.

"Well, then, it's a date, Yuzu," Mei teased.

* * *

 **To be continued... :)**


	3. Chapter 3 - Why Do I Feel This Way?

Hi,

I hope you're well. Thank you for patiently reading the previous chapters.

I really hope you're enjoying this humble story. We're on the third chapter already.

Thank you for all the comments you left. Here's chapter 3. :)

Chapter 3: Why Do I feel This way?

* * *

At the manga cafe...

"I'm so tired, Harumin," Yuzu slouched back.

"This is a funny video. This dog is so adorable. I think I want a toy poodle," Harumin thought out loud, watching a video online.

 _Oh well... Harumin seems busy..._

"Harumin, hey!" Yuzu shouted.

Harumin took off her headphone and turned to Yuzu, "Wazzup, Yuzucchi?"

"Remember Taro?" Yuzu put her phone down.

"Taro? The soccer team captain! A.K.A Captain Pretty Boy? No, I don't," Harumin said, laughing so hard.

"Harumin, stop that!" Yuzu stared at the ceiling.

"What about Taro?" Harumin turned her gaze back at her PC and mindlessly searched for videos to watch.

"He invited Mei to watch his game tomorrow," Yuzu casually glanced at Harumin.

"Captain Pretty Boy has courage now, huh?" Harumin chuckled, searching for cute photos of dogs.

"Yeah! So... Mei agreed to go in one condition," Yuzu sat straight on her chair.

Harumin slowly turned to Yuzu with a curious expression, "So... What's the Prez's condition, then?"

"She would go watch his game... if," Yuzu softly rubbed her forearm.

"If?" Harumin leaned forward and shoved Yuzu.

Yuzu was startled and got a bit scared, "Mei would go if I'd join her."

Harumin raised her brow and giggled.

 _Why is Harumin acting so weird?_

"I'm sorry, Yuzucchi. I thought it was something else," Harumin replied, still gazing at Yuzu.

"I don't wanna go, Harumin," Yuzu sighed, looking away and stared at the door.

 _I don't know why I feel this way about Mei. Was it because she kissed me? I feel anxious being near her._

"Hey, I would love to watch his game, too!" Harumin said, turning to her PC and continued to gawk unabashedly at photos of cute dogs.

"Hey! Are you sure?" Yuzu approached Harumin from her side and gave her a tight hug.

"Yuzucchi, what are you doing?" Harumin tried to gently move Yuzu's arms away.

"The game is tomorrow at 1:30, okay?" The blonde stretched her body and yawned, "It's time for us to go home, Harumin."

"Since tomorrow is Saturday, then we can go shopping after the game," Harumin tilted her head and flicked a finger on her chin and imagined some clothes she would like to buy, "Wego would be on their spring season sale, this weekend, it's a perfect time for us to go shopping, Yuzucchi!" shouted Harumin.

"Do you think Mei would like to go shopping with us?" Yuzu stood up and stretched one more time.

Harumin chuckled, "No idea, Yuzucchi, but I doubt it."

 _Mei always has this simple and uncomplicated style which makes her look elegant. Where does she buy her clothes?_

* * *

At the heart of Tokyo lies Tanoshi-ge Living, a modern high-rise residential building, designed by Okogi Umezawa, Yuzu's mother. As part of her commission, she was rewarded a two-bedroom unit. Also, the real estate developer was so impressed by her team's work that they decided to work with her for their upcoming projects for the next five years. Yuzu and her mother moved to Tokyo from Kyoto.

The building offers easy access to all parts of Tokyo. Tanoshi-ge Living also has exclusive facilities and services. At the ground floor lies Yuzu's sanctuary, the spa.

 _This feels really good._ Yuzu dipped her fingers in the large hot tub at the spa and let the water form small waves.

Yuzu stripped her towel and lowered herself into the water _, It's so relaxing. I hope it's always like this._ Yuzu shut her eyes closed. She felt wonderful.

The hot water gently calmed and relaxed her. _Why did Mei do that? I mean she can just go without me or turn Taro's offer down... why involve me?_

She sank deeper into the tub and enjoyed the warmth. _Why am I making such a big deal about this? It's not really a big deal to go watch Taro's game._

 _I'm not making any sense anymore. This week has been extremely crazy._

Remembering the kiss at the Yuugen Crepe House, _Why do I feel like I enjoyed it? I mean the kiss with Mei. It was my first time to kiss a girl. And Mei kissed me._ Yuzu continued to sink herself deeper in the tub.

 _I wonder how she felt about it._ Yuzu placed a finger on her lips, reminiscing that moment. _It felt really nice though. Ugggghhhh!_

"WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?" Yuzu stood up and spoke out loud which startled everyone in the tub.

"Shhhh..." About seven other people gave her disapproving looks.

"Oops... I'm sorry," Yuzu bowed and gently sat in the hot tub again.

 _Why do I feel this way?_ Yuzu had never thought a kiss with a girl could give her butterflies.

 _Why can't I stop thinking about that kiss?_ She had never even given a thought on kissing girls prior to that one with Mei.

 _Why did I get turned on?_ She had never even looked at girls in a sexual way before until that kiss with the raven haired.

 _I think I'm screwed._

Yuzu got out of the water and sat at the edge of the hot tub before deciding to leave the spa.

* * *

At their apartment...

"Hey, Yuzu. How are you?" Ume, Yuzu's mom, was busy preparing their dinner.

"I'm okay, Mama. School has been really tough but it's fine," Yuzu said, giving her mom a bright smile.

"I made us some soup curry. This will make you feel better," She flashed Yuzu a big smile back.

"Thank you, Mama. They have really nice facilities here, you know," Yuzu replied, approaching the kitchen.

"Yes, they do. Did you enjoy the spa on the ground floor?" Ume asked, pouring some special seasoning into the pot of Soup Curry.

"Yes, Mama. I don't think I ever told you this but I'm very proud of you. You designed a very beautiful place," Yuzu smiled at her mother.

Ume's heart just melted hearing those words from her daughter, "Yuzu, is there something that you want to tell me?"

"Mama, nothing," sighed Yuzu, opening the plate drawer.

"You can tell me anything," Ume insisted. She knows when something is bothering her daughter.

 _How can I tell Mama about how I feel? Would she understand?_

"When you met papa... how did you know that he was the one for you?" Yuzu asked, avoiding eye contact with her mother.

"Well, Yuzu. It's really hard to explain," Ume sighed and turned to her daughter. Yuzu's green eyes were filled with worries, "Things like love go beyond words. You feel them. When I first met your papa, I could not explain why I was attracted to him."

 _Oh Mama..._

"We were very different. I was carefree and he was serious with everything. Nobody wanted to approach him," Ume chuckled at the recollection of her past.

"Huh? He didn't act so serious with me when I was growing up," Yuzu exclaimed, walking to the dining table.

"That's because he learned to relax and to have fun a little," Yuzu's mom brought the pot to the table.

"Mama, you still didn't answer my question," Yuzu sternly said, giving her mom a serious look.

"Yuzuko, I can't tell you exactly how I knew he was the one for me. But he was the only one who made me feel at home when he was around. He was the only one whom I could bare my heart to without feeling ashamed. I always felt relaxed around him. He loved me at my weakest and accepted me at my worst," Ume shed a tear.

Yuzu approached her mother and wrapped her arms around her.

"Yuzuko, why are you asking me this question? Are you, in any way, in love?" she asked, looking straight at the blonde.

 _Am I in love? I'm not sure. What do people call this feeling?_

"I don't know, Mama," Yuzu answered, hugging her mother tightly.

"Love comes in more than a thousand different forms. Shouldn't you be focusing on your studies, Yuzu?" inquired Ume, gently breaking the hug.

"Yes, you're right, Mama," Yuzu answered, staring at the table.

 _I should be focusing on my studies but my mind is focusing on something else._

* * *

At the soccer field...

Yuzu checked the time on her phone, and whispered to herself, "Seems I'm too early for today."

As she was about to put her phone in her pocket, she received a message.

 **From: HT**

 **Yuzucchi, my sister paid a visit today. I won't be able to watch the game with you. I'm sorry.**

 **See you next time. I'll make it up to you. I promise!**

"Hey, Yuzu!" Taro shouted, running towards the blonde.

"Hey, Taro! Big game today?" She waved her hand and shouted back.

"It's a practice game against a team from another school. We're warming up for the big game next month," Taro said, panting.

"Good job, captain! Practice is the key to success, as they say," Yuzu joked, giggling.

"Cut it out, Yuzu! You'll surely learn more about success from Aihara Mei," Taro retorted, fixing his gorgeous hair with his hand.

"Have you seen her somewhere? I think I'm too early for today," Yuzu inquired, shamelessly scanning the field.

"Not yet, though. Maybe she's on her way," Taro stretched his back, "Thanks for agreeing to come, Yuzu. I owe you a lot."

"Well, Taro," Yuzu looked away, "I don't know anything about soccer... so forgive me, just in case, I would be cheering the wrong team."

Taro laughed, "Now, I understand why Aihara Mei wanted you to join her."

"Why?" Yuzu asked angrily, staring at the tall guy.

"Because you're fun to hang out with," Taro wiped a small sweat on his forehead.

 _Fun to hang out with? What does Taro mean by that?_

"I've never seen Aihara Mei being too close with another person," Taro uttered, making eye contact with Yuzu.

"Huh?! She's the president. Of course, she has a lot of friends,"Yuzu exclaimed, crossing her arms.

"Everyone seems to be intimidated by her, Yuzu," Taro stood on one leg and grabbed his opposite ankle to do the classic stretch, getting ready for the game.

 _Well... Mei looks intimidating perhaps because she has everything... and she's gorgeous._

"Taro gently pulled his outstretched arm across his chest this time, "You're the only person whom she seems comfortable with. She likes you, Yuzu," Taro casually said.

 _Like me? Am I so obvious? What kind of 'like' is Taro talking about?_

"Huh? What do you mean, Taro?" Yuzu asked, glaring at Taro.

"She seems relaxed around you. You two can be good friends, Yuzu," Taro answered, stretching his shoulders.

"How long have you been stalking Mei, Taro?" Yuzu stretched her shoulders unconsciously mirroring Taro.

"I'm not a stalker, Yuzu!" Taro did the victory stretch, "I have just been observing."

"C'mon. You're a stalker!" Yuzu burst out laughing.

"Yuzu," a girl called across the field.

 _I know that voice._

Both Yuzu and Taro turned to see the girl. Their eyes were met by the sight of a raven haired girl in a business casual attire. Mei wore a striped top and a soft purple blazer that perfectly flatters her hourglass figure. She put on a black skirt that strikes a balance between classy and sexy. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

Yuzu and Taro remained speechless for a moment basking in Mei's presence.

"I'm sorry for being overdressed for this occasion. I will be heading straight to a gathering after watching the game," Mei uttered, taking off her blazer, "Yuzu, what time have you arrived here?"

"Not too long, Mei," Yuzu awoke from her dream-like state.

 _What has happened. Why is my heart beating so fast?_

"Will the game start anytime soon?" Mei asked, glancing at Taro who was still in his dream-like state.

"Taro, what time will your game start?" Yuzu lightly hit Taro's shoulder who was still gazing at the raven-haired girl.

"Ah yeah, it should start by now," finally Taro came back to the real world.

"Good luck, Taro," Mei raised her head to make eye contact with Taro that pierced straight to his heart.

Taro scratched his head in disbelief and made weird laughing sounds, "Thank you, Aihara-san."

"So, it seems they have installed a new bleacher seating," Mei turned to her left admiring the location of the bleacher seating. It was beautifully surrounded by trees.

"Yeah, it looks really great and comfortable," Yuzu turned to look at the seating, "The trees on each side make it perfect for a relaxing afternoon."

"Captain! We're about to start our game!" one of the soccer team members shouted.

"Ahhh. Thanks for coming, Aihara-san. I hope you enjoy our game," Taro said, slightly bowing out of anxiety and ran towards his team members.

"Yuzu, let's head over to the bleachers," Mei uttered, taking off her high heels.

"Mei, what are you doing?" Yuzu's eyes widened.

"I suppose it's okay to walk barefoot on the grass. It's uncomfortable to walk in high heels on the grass, Yuzu," Mei reasoned, looking on the ground, "I like how the grass creeps up between my toes."

"'Kayy, so I should take my sneakers off too," Yuzu replied, bending down on one knee to untie one of her shoes.

"You don't have to that, Yuzu," Mei turned to look at Yuzu who was slightly behind her.

"I wanna know how it feels like for the grass to creep between my toes, too," Yuzu took off her pink sneakers, "Let's race to the bleachers, Mei."

 _Oh no. I don't think Mei would want that. Yuzu, what are you saying? She's not Harumin!_

"That's actually not a bad idea but I still have a gathering to attend to, later this afternoon," Mei clutched her handbag gently and turned to look at Yuzu, "Let's just walk, Yuzu."

"Alright, Mei!" Yuzu clutched her backpack straps.

"Yuzu, when we were at the Crepe House, you mentioned that your only talent is making people happy," Mei tucked in a strand of hair that fell on her forehead.

 _Mei remembers that! It makes my heart melt._

"Yes, I remember saying that, Mei," Yuzu sighed deeply to suppress the fast beating of her heart.

"But I do believe that you have a secret talent, Yuzu. Question no. 9. What is your secret talent?" Mei asked, glancing at the blonde.

 _I can't believe we're still doing this._

"Umm, Mei. I'm not sure if you're going to believe me but..." Yuzu massaged her forehead, "Because of my dad, I, somehow, enjoy writing poetry.

 _Ugggh! Why did I even share that? No one knows about it!_

"Poetry? Hmmm..." Mei tilted her head.

"You see, Mei. My dad... uhmm... and my mom met when they were both in college," Yuzu explained, brushing her hair with her hand to release some anxiety.

"I see. They were college sweethearts," Mei stated as she stopped for a moment to wear her shoes. The girls were getting closer to the bleachers.

"That's right! And dad used to write excerpts from his poems on post it notes. He would slip a note through the vents in my mom's locker everyday at school," Yuzu bent down to tie her shoes.

"Your mom is very lucky," Mei exclaimed as they continued to walk a few more steps before the front row, "You were inspired by your dad," Mei straightened her skirt while getting ready to sit and gestured the blonde to sit beside her.

"I kept most of his poems in a box at home," Yuzu retorted, taking off her backpack and sat beside Mei.

"Have you written some poems, recently?" Mei placed her handbag on her lap.

"Uhh... yes," the blonde hesitantly answered.

"Is it alright if I'd ask you to read an excerpt from your work?" Mei asked, making eye contact with Yuzu.

 _Why do you have to be so cute? I mean why would you want me to do that, Mei?_

Opening her bag, Yuzu took her phone out, "Are you sure about that, Mei?"

"Writing poetry is something I'm not good at. I find it fascinating how some people can easily capture their emotions with words," Mei looked out over the field.

"Okay... If you insist, Mei," Yuzu scrolled her phone to search for her most recent work.

 _Damn it! I wrote this last night trying to figure out my feelings._

"So, you write a poem on a smartphone?" the raven- haired questioned.

"There's a great app that makes writing poetry easy," Yuzu replied, hesitating over sharing her latest work.

"I see," Mei tucked a strand of hair behind her right ear and looked on the ground.

"Mei, if you don't like this one, just let me know. You're very good with words so you can correct my grammar or give me feedback," Yuzu said, wiping a sweat that started to form on her forehead.

 _What if she would figure out this poem is about... Oh, she wouldn't know that. Fingers-crossed._

"Grammar rules shouldn't limit someone from creating a good poem or a prose," Mei said, turning to Yuzu.

"Are you ready, Mei?" asked Yuzu, sighing ever so deeply.

Mei gave a nod in return and replied, "I am."

Yuzu took a very deep breath then started to recite,

 **Before I saw you,**

 **I didn't know I was incomplete.**

 **You found me, I found myself.**

 **Your eyes have passion,**

 **A glow that only I can see.**

 **Is it possible that we met before?"** Yuzu paused, catching a breath.

 _I don't know why I wrote this poem._

 **In one of our many past lives?**

 **How playful can the universe be**

 **To separate us in eternity,**

 **But this heart is stubborn**

 **And it always knows**

 **Its way to yours.**

Yuzu breathed out heavily, "That's all, Mei!"

 _This is so embarrassing. I can feel my face turning red._

"Hmmm. Is it possible that we met before?" Mei said, with a curious facial expression.

 _What does she mean?_

"I like that line," The raven-haired girl nodded approvingly.

Yuzu chuckled nervously, "Thanks, Mei."

"Could you send me a copy of that?" Mei took out her phone.

 _What? Why? It's a terrible poem!_

The blonde turned to Mei in disbelief, "Uhmmm, are you sure? It's an awful poem, Mei. It's a free verse and I made it to clear my mind on..."

"On?" inquired Mei, "I believe that you were inspired by that person, weren't you, Yuzu?"

 _I guess I was, Mei._

"Yuzu, we have a poetry club at school. You would be a very good addition to them," Mei said, unlocking her phone.

 _It will be the end of my social life!_

"Mei, no one knows about this. I don't think I'm ready for that," Yuzu whispered.

"I understand," Mei replied, hiding her disappointment.

 _Why does she look disappointed?_

 _"_ It's a pity that the poetry club has the least number of members in our school," Mei sighed, "If only they could find a way to attract more members, they would get their budget approved. But it seems they will have a hard time doing that."

"Poetry is really not popular, Mei," Yuzu responded, looking over the game.

"Indeed, it isn't," Mei replied, gazing at the game with a defeated look.

 _Don't give me that look, Mei. Uggh. If I'd join the poetry club, I'm not sure if I'll have time to hang out with Harumin._

"Okay, Mei. I'll try it out. I'm not sure if I get accepted. I mean, my poems aren't that good, you know," declared the blonde.

Mei turned to Yuzu and smiled, "I'm sure the members will be happy to have you around. Have you sent me a copy of your work?"

"Oh, I almost forgot," Yuzu said, tapping the 'send' button hesitantly.

 _We'll see what happens next._

* * *

On a Monday morning...

Yuzu leaned towards Harumin and whispered,"Harumin, I need to ask you a favor."

"Okay, Yuzucchi. What do you want me to do, this time?" Harumin answered while completing her last minute homework.

"I need you to... take me to the poetry club?" Yuzu swiftly looked away.

"Huh?! It's on the third floor. You know where it is, Yuzucchi!"

"Yeah, I know."

"Besides, why do you need me to go there with you?" inquired Harumin, still busy with her task.

"You see, I'll be signing up for their club," Yuzu said as softly as she could and hid her face in embarrassment.

Harumin burst out laughing and stopped what she was doing.

Yuzu shoved Harumin's shoulder, "Harumin, stop laughing!"

"I'm sorry, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, wiping some tears from laughing, "Why would you do that to yourself?"

 _I don't know why, Harumin._

"It's about Mei."

"What about the Prez?

"Last Saturday, when YOU weren't around, I made a promise to join the poetry club," said Yuzu, giving Harumin an angry look for not showing up.

"Sorry about that, Yuzucchi. My sister can be scary, you know. So, I stayed at home to avoid any trouble," Harumin reasoned, "Are you sure about joining the poetry club?"

"Not really sure about it but I made a promise, so..."

"Looks like the Prez used her charisma to convince Yuzucchi to join a club that's about to get extinct," Harumin quipped, tapping her pen on her notebook.

"Don't be too mean, Harumin," begged Yuzu, resting her head on the desk.

Harumin turned to look at her best friend, "Since when did you become interested in poetry, Yuzucchi?"

"Well, it's a long story, Harumin," Yuzu looked out the window.

"Seems the Prez really likes you, huh?"

 _Huh? Why does everyone think that? Taro, now Harumin?_

 _"_ Why do you think that way, Harumin?" asked Yuzu, still gazing at the sky.

"I don't know. I just get the feeling, Yuzucchi. You seem to like the Prez, too, huh?" Harumin casually commented.

 _What does Harumin mean? Am I getting too obvious. Do I really like Mei?_

"Harumin, Mei is a nice person," Yuzu answered, pretending to grab something from her bag.

"I see. She's lucky to find a friend in you, Yuzucchi. Prez isn't really that friendly, you know. Seems you're the only one she has warmed up to," Harumin uttered, trying to finish her homework.

 _The only one she's warmed up to?_

"Since you've known her longer, Harumin. Doesn't Mei have a lot of friends?" asked Yuzu. The blonde just recently transferred to their school.

"She doesn't have time for that. If she isn't busy at school, she's busy learning about their business,"

"Has she ever been in any sort of relationship?"

"Why do you want to know, Yuzucchi?" Harumin asked, raising her brow, "Well, when we were in freshmen, there was a talk in school about her being involved with the student council president at that time. He was our senior but Mei broke up with him."

"Why?"

"They said he was very jealous to a point that he didn't want Prez to be friends with anyone,"

"That jealous?"

"That jealous! The Prez is beautiful. It's impossible for her not to attract any type of attention,"

 _True enough._

"So, she hasn't been romantically involved with anyone since then?"

"No, she hasn't, I guess. I think she needs someone who is very secure with himself to handle her long list of admirers," Harumin chuckled.

 _Someone who's very secure?_

* * *

In the hallway of the third floor...

"Yuzucchi, there it is! The hub of the poetry club," Harumin pointed to her right.

"You're right, Harumin. Come with me," Yuzu dragged Harumin.

"Hey, let me go! It's not my cuppa tea!" Harumin exclaimed.

"This is your payment for not showing up last Saturday," Yuzu held Harumin tighter.

"Jeez! Okay, then," Harumin straightened herself, "Here we are, Yuzucchi. Now, go knock on that door," Harumin commanded.

As Yuzu was about to knock, someone opened the door from inside, "Oh, hi. I'm sorry," The blonde said and gave the person a nervous smile.

"You must be Okogi Yuzuko?" the other person asked, smiling brightly at Yuzu.

"Yeah, how do you know my name?" Yuzu questioned, arching her brow.

"Our student council president dropped by our office today and gave us a copy of your work."

 _What? Mei gave them a copy of my poem? Goodness!_

"She also said that we will be expecting you any time soon," the person said, opening the door widely and gesturing Yuzu and Harumin to come in.

"How did you know it was me," Yuzu said, making her way in.

"President Aihara Mei gave us a description of your hair and eye color. She's right you have green eyes. Oh by the way, I'm Hitomi Kosugi, the poetry club president," she said, looking straight at Yuzu's green eyes, "Those emerald eyes are like the first spring leaves on a plum tree, the color of freshly cut grass that creeps into our barefoot toes," she recited, "I'm sorry, it's become my reflex to create poetry out of nowhere."

"That was good, Kosugi-san," Yuzu said, smiling approvingly.

"Thanks. Just call me, Hitomi," she insisted, smiling back at Yuzu, "So, Okogi-san, how are you related to Aihara Mei? She never visits our club but today was an exception."

"I'm her," Yuzu said before she was interrupted.

"She's her partner," Harumin blurted, wrapping her arms around the blonde's shoulders.

"Her partner?" Hitomi questioned, raising her head to look at both Yuzu and Harumin. Hitomi was about 5 inches shorter than Yuzu. She had pixie-like hair with waspy bangs brushed along her forehead.

"I'm her project partner," Yuzu replied, hiding a little taint of blush forming on her cheeks.

* * *

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4 - What Is Love?

Hello,

Happy weekend! I hope you're having a relaxing one.

I'm greatly humbled by all the comments you left and the messages as well as the faves and follows.

I hope you like this chapter. :)

Chapter 4: What Is Love?

* * *

"Thanks. Just call me, Hitomi," she said, smiling back at Yuzu, "So, Okogi-san, how are you related to Aihara Mei? She never visits our club but today was an exception."

"I'm her," Yuzu said before she was interrupted.

"She's her partner," Harumin blurted, wrapping her arms around the blonde's shoulders.

"Her partner?" Hitomi questioned, raising her head to look at both Yuzu and Harumin. Hitomi was about 5 inches shorter than Yuzu. She had pixie-like hair with waspy bangs brushed along her forehead.

"I'm her project partner," Yuzu said, hiding a little taint of blush forming on her cheeks.

"That's right, Yuzu is the Prez's project partner," Harumin gushed.

"I see," Hitomi drawled, looking away.

"I'm sorry Hitomi. My poem was terrible. I didn't expect Mei to submit my work," Yuzu stared at the door.

"Poetry is about evoking emotions without telling," the shorter girl emphasized, fixing her glance at Yuzu.

 _Huh! I don't get it!_

"The reader needs to look for the meaning. It is more of an emotional process than it is rational," Hitomi resumed, insisting eye contact with Yuzu.

"I'm sorry, Hitomi. I think I'm not following you. Can you say that in simple words?" Yuzu hesitated, stepping back and looked away.

"It's an art. And you cannot create art without your heart. A good poetry evokes emotions in you, in a reader," Hitomi declared, stepping closer to the blonde, "That is why poetry is not really popular, Okogi-san."

 _I don't think I belong to this club. I can't even understand what Hitomi is saying. Ughhhh._

"In other words, poetry has a different meaning to the writer and the reader," Hitomi maintained, reaching for Yuzu's hand.

 _She could have said it that way earlier._

 _"_ Hitomi, I'm not sure if I'm even half qualified to be here," the blonde stammered.

"To know if something is right for us, we use this," Hitomi reassured, placing Yuzu's hand above her heart.

"Hey, I'm not really sure what you're trying to tell me," Yuzu gasped, allowing her hand to rest on her chest.

"Can you feel that? Your heart knows what's right for you. There are no coincidences, Yuzu. Your heart brought you here for a reason. So don't question it, okay?" Hitomi sniggered, letting go of Yuzu's hand.

 _Now I know why they have the least number of members. Hitomi can be so strange!_

Harumin stepped closer, and whispered, "Yuzucchi, are you sure that you want to join this club? You can still back out."

"Harumin, I made a promise," Yuzu mumbled, glancing at her best friend with regretful eyes.

"If that's what you want, Yuzucchi. I have no choice but to support you," Harumin lamented.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Who could that be?" Hitomi glowered, walking towards the door.

When she opened the door, a sight of a tall girl greeted her, "Good afternoon, Hitomi," she had midnight-black hair and the afternoon breeze softly mopped its entire length, letting the strands dance sofly with the wind.

"Oh, good afternoon, President," Hitomi stutterd, gently raising her head to greet Mei.

Mei maintained a calm appearance. "Hitomi, I came here to talk to you about your proposal to attract more members to join your club."

"Please, come in, President," Hitomi hissed, opening the door widely.

"Thank you," Mei agreed, crossing the room in only a few strides.

"Hey, Mei!" Yuzu babbled, flashing her signature smile.

"I see you've kept your promise," Mei assented, standing next to Yuzu.

 _I feel really nervous. Why do I feel this way when Mei is around?_

Standing in front of the three taller girls, Hitomi declared, "I'm glad that you went over my proposal, President. Well, we've considered various ways to attract new members," sighing deeply, she continued, "We all came into an agreement that the only way we can attract more members is to make poetry 'cool.' I, for one, dislike using that word."

"Huh? How on Earth are you going to make poetry cool?" Harumin jabbed, placing her hands on her waist.

"Hey, Harumin, calm down," Yuzu urged, grabbing Harumin's arm.

"You see, my big-bosomed friend, we're thinking about performing spoken word poetry in front of an audience on our recruitment day," Hitomi chortled.

"Spoken word poetry?!" Harumin growled, leaning closer to the shorter girl.

Both Yuzu and Mei just watched the two girls bickering in front of them.

Yuzu stepped closer next to Mei and whispered, "Mei, why did you send them a copy of my work?"

Turning and glancing to her right, she sighed, "I liked it."

"You liked it?" Yuzu gushed, startling Mei and the two bickering girls.

 _I think I scared Mei._

"I'm sorry, Mei. I didn't mean to do that. I just thought the poem was terrible," Yuzu blurted, looking at the painting on the wall.

After an eternity of peevish argument between Hitomi and Harumin, the poetry club president turned to face both Mei and Yuzu, "With the help of these two bewitching beauties, we'll get more people engaged in poetry," she insisted, glancing back at Harumin with a determined look.

"HUH?!" Yuzu, and Harumin spat, staring at Hitomi.

"Take a look at the President and Yuzu," Hitomi babbled, still trying to win an argument against Harumin,"They can leave a lot of people stunned, dazzled, and knocked out. Exhibit A, the President; her presence makes us gape, even gasp with astonishment. These emotions are a powerful marketing tool."

"Hitomi, that's enough!" Mei exclaimed, glaring at Hitomi.

"Yeah, stop that, Hitomi! You heard the Prez," Harumin agreed, still glaring at the shorter girl.

Hitomi explained, crossing her arms on her chest, "What I'm saying is that, most people are naturally attracted to beauty."

"And what does that have to do with us?" Yuzu interrupted, looking straight at Hitomi's eyes.

"With your natural bewitching looks along with the President's great beauty, we will dazzle this entire school and increase the number of our members," Hitomi reasoned, raising her head to be face-to-face with Yuzu.

"Hey, you! Speak in simple words. You're giving me a headache!" Harumin shouted, massaging her forehead.

"What exactly do you want from us?" Mei asked as sternly as she could.

"President, this weekend, we will have our recruitment day. Each club will be given the chance to showcase their talent in the hopes to attract more members. I was just thinking that maybe I can interest you and this emerald-eyed beauty to represent our poetry club?" Hitomi pleaded, glancing both at Mei and Yuzu.

"Huh? You want the Prez and Yuzucchi to perform for your club?" Harumin rebuked, placing her arm between the shorter girl and the partners.

"Exactly, my voluptuous friend," Hitomi tittered.

Pissed, Harumin glowered, "Why are you doing this?!"

"I don't think I can do that, Hitomi, with all due respect," Yuzu apologized, clutching her bag.

"If that's going to help your club meet the minimum number of members to get a budget approval, then I'll help you," Mei placated, looking sternly at Hitomi.

"Are you sure about that, Mei?" Yuzu lamented, clutching her bag tighter.

"Yuzu, I made my decision. The poetry club is in dire need of new members to meet their quota for budget approval. It's one of the school committee's requirements," Mei concluded, gazing at the blonde next to her.

"Well, everything is settled, then," Hitomi declared, nodding approvingly.

"You manipulative wench!" Harumin yelled, giving Hitomi a death glare.

"Well, that is subjective!" Hitomi retorted, smirking at Harumin.

"Stop with that philosophical thing-y! Just speak like a normal person! Uggghh!" Harumin growled, turning around and ready to leave the room.

Hitomi turned her gaze at Mei and Yuzu, "I hope you're ready for an impromptu spoken poetry," she emphasized.

"HUH?!" Yuzu shouted, shocked.

* * *

At the diner...

"That Hitomi is such a pain in the neck, Yuzucchi!" Harumin declared, sipping a refreshing drink.

"Harumin, what do you know about Hitomi?"

"Hmmm, aside from the fact that she's a slithering and scheming wench, nothing much really. We've been schoolmates since first year. She's always had her eye on beautiful things, according to some people."

"Beautiful things?"

"We all have our set of fixations, Yuzucchi. For Hitomi, she's always been fixated on beautiful things, objects, people, and stuff like that," Harumin looked out the window.

"That is so weird," Yuzu gazed out the window, admiring the clear skies.

"Hey, Yuzucchi," Harumin turned to look at her best friend, "Have you thought about what to do on the impromptu spoken poetry? That's a mouthful."

"Since it's an impromptu poetry, I guess, there's nothing I can do to prepare myself for that," Yuzu rested her head over her hand.

"I'll be cheering for you and the Prez, then."

Yuzu chortled, "I wonder what we're going to do, Harumin."

"I have no idea about poetry, Yuzucchi but somehow, I agree with Hitomi."

"Which part of what she said, exactly, Harumin?"

"About the 'heart' part, Yuzucchi. I kinda get what she means by that."

"What about it, Harumin?"

"If you let your heart do the talking, then it will go well, I guess."

 _Let the heart do the talking?_

"I wonder what Mei thinks about all of this?"

"Oh, the Prez? Don't worry about her, Yuzucchi! She can handle anything!" Harumin said, looking at the mirror and fixing her hair.

"Hey, Yuzu!" a guy shouted in the diner.

Both Yuzu and Harumin turned to search for that voice.

 _Oh, it's Taro again and the rest of his team?_

"Thanks for coming to watch our game last weekend," Taro flashed a big smile and made his way towards the girls.

"Yeah! Not a big deal, Taro!" Yuzu yelled back, scanning the rest of the soccer team members.

"In exchange, I'll do anything for you," Taro proposed, handing the soccer ball to one of his members.

"So, Captain," Harumin interjected, "Yuzucchi and the Prez will have an impromptu spoken poetry this weekend. They will need a cheering squad!"

"Harumin, stop that!" Yuzu insisted, looking away and hiding her embarrassment.

"Huh!? Why didn't you say so, Yuzu?" Taro gushed, turning around to look at the rest of his team members, "Okay, team! Listen up! We have an important thing to do this weekend! Aihara Mei and Yuzu will have their spoken poetry that day! I need you all to be there! Is that clear?!"

"Yes, Captain!" the members shouted all at once.

"Taro, you don't have to do that!" Yuzu waved her hands.

Taro leaned over towards Yuzu and maintained, "I insist, Yuzu. We'll recruit more members to cheer you on."

"That's how you make poetry cool!" Harumin declared sternly.

Yuzu sat back, hiding her face in her hands.

 _This is so embarrassing!_

* * *

On their recruitment day...

Their school was having a two-day open recruitment activity for all the clubs. Each club has a quota or a minimum number of members to meet in order for their budget to get an approval. Also, they need new members because they bring new ideas and talents. Non-athletic clubs were set to perform on the first day. Some clubs have gone all the way from renting simple booths to customizing their stalls to attract new members.

"Look at their booth, Hitomi. It's very creative and beautiful," sighed Yuzu, gazing at the Drama Club's booth.

"My dear, Yuzu, what matters most is the heart and character of a club and not some seemingly superficial marketing propaganda," Hitomi rebuked, looking at the Drama Club's booth.

 _I thought Hitomi is fixated on beauty._

"From what I heard, you like beautiful things, Hitomi," Yuzu whispered, turning to face Hitomi.

"How we see beauty is a reflection of our heart," Hitomi declared, stepping closer to get her point across.

"Huh?! What do you mean by that?" Yuzu stepped back.

"Whatever brings you joy and delight is beautiful," Hitomi soothed, smiling at Yuzu.

 _Why can't Hitomi just speak in a normal way? Is it that difficult?_

'Yuzu, about the other day, your eyes gave you away when you were glancing at Mei."

 _Huh? What is Hitomi trying to say?_

"I don't think I'm following you, Hitomi,"

Hitomi leaned closer to Yuzu and whispered, "You like Mei, Yuzu."

 _Am I too obvious? Why does Hitomi say that?_

Shocked, Yuzu replied, stammering, "I like her as a person... Ummm... she's cool and all. I mean, I admire her because she's..."

"She makes your heart beat fast, doesn't she? Hitomi insisted, gazing at Yuzu's green eyes that were starting to fill with worries.

Shutting her eyes closed and opening them slowly, she sighed "Hitomi, what are you trying to imply?"

Hitomi stepped back and turned around, raising both of her hands at forearm length, "Just like the rest of us, we spend our days longing to meet that special person, piercing through the crowds for one familiar face. Out of nowhere, our soul recognizes a singular gaze that can capture our hearts forever. Some call it love, some call it destiny... How about you, Yuzu, what do you call it?"

 _What do I call it?_

Confused, Yuzu yelled, "Huh?"

Hitomi turned around again to make eye contact with the blonde, "Yuzu, I thought it's only natural to help a pure soul express her heart's desire. That's why you're here. The universe created this opportunity for you."

"So, this was your intention, Hitomi?"

"Poetry comes from the heart. Language is its metaphor. Words may hold much power to help you be more honest with your feelings," Hitomi insisted, still maintaining eye contact.

 _Be more honest with my feelings? People in this school can be crazy!_

"Aihara Mei isn't honest with her feelings as well. I thought maybe, this will give you both a chance to be open... to be truthful," Hitomi said, looking away.

"Hitomi, what exactly do you mean?" Yuzu shoved the shorter girl.

Amused, Hitomi revealed, "I once confessed my feelings to Aihara Mei even though I had the slightest chance for them to be accepted."

"Huh?! Why did you do that? And why Mei?" Yuzu leaned closer.

"Love comes in as many forms as the countless stars in the vast space of the universe. Once in a while, we meet a person who will make us aware of what we're missing, the happiness within our soul," Hitomi laughed.

"Hitomi, please use simple terms," Yuzu insisted, still holding Hitomi.

"When that person comes, Yuzu, welcome them with all your heart," Hitomi giggled.

Letting Hitomi go, Yuzu muttered, "What did Mei say after you confessed?"

"As expected, she denied my feelings," Hitomi gushed, smiling at Yuzu.

 _Why is this girl seemingly happy about it?_

"Being turned down isn't fatal, Yuzu. It is the courage to tell the truth that counts."

For a moment, all heads were turned to a girl who walked in the function hall where the recruitment activity was being held. As they watched the girl greet some participants, they felt a remarkable presence, the girl had the attention of everyone in the room. Her command presence augmented her physical stature.

"Good afternoon, President," Hitomi greeted, bowing slightly.

"Good afternoon, Hitomi. The presentations are about to start in a few minutes. Your club will be the third one to perform," Mei reminded, casually glancing at Yuzu who was behind Hitomi.

"Thank you for doing us this enormous favor, President" Hitomi insisted, raising her head to be face-to-face with Mei.

Mei simply nodded.

"I made a list of ten words and wrote each one down," Hitomi related, grabbing a small jar from their booth, "Here they are. Kindly pick five pieces, President."

Mei quirked a brow and her lavender eyes sent shivers down Hitomi's spine, "When will you be done with your surprises, Hitomi?"

Intimidated, Hitomi gulped and regained her composure, "President, you need these words to guide you in your spoken poetry with Yuzu."

"Wait up!" Yuzu interrupted, stepping next to Hitomi, "So, this is really happening? Mei and I get on the stage and exchange lines, impromptu style?"

"Exactly, Yuzu! Free verse style!" Hitomi agreed, turning to look at the blonde, "Imagine you and the President are having a normal conversation with one simple twist; your verses will revolve around these chosen words."

"Yuzucchi!" Harumin walked in the function hall along with the entire soccer team.

Mei, Yuzu, and Hitomi turned to see the entourage.

 _Oh my goodness! And they even wore cheer shirts! This is so embarrassing!_

Taro and Harumin made a decision to show support for Mei and Yuzu by wearing uniform cheer shirts. The soccer team had agreed to wear red shirts with customized print. The front of the shirt says "We're here for Aihara Mei and Yuzu!" and at the back, the print says "Poetry is the new cool!"

"Yuzucchi! Hey Prez!" Harumin yelled, smiling and waving at Mei and Yuzu, "And you, of course," she sighed, looking at Hitomi.

Yuzu hurriedly grabbed Harumin's arm and brought her into a corner, "What is this all about, Harumin?!"

A little hurt, Harumin explained, "Well, I bumped into Taro at the grocery store last Wednesday and we talked about how we can support you. And... he came up with this idea."

 _This isn't really a terrible idea but this is so embarrassing. What would Mei think of this?!_

"Harumin, why didn't you inform me ahead of time," Yuzu growled, pressing Harumin's arm tighter.

"We wanted to surprise you, Yuzucchi and you already know that Taro is head over heels with the Prez. This is how you make poetry cool! Just take a look at all your supporters," Harumin commanded, hinting Yuzu to glance at the entourage.

"Harumin, you have to understand that Mei would not want any of this," Yuzu glared at Harumin instead.

Walking silently, Mei approached Yuzu and Harumin, "Yuzu, we're about to start our presentation."

Startled, Yuzu nervously laughed and turned to face Mei, "I'm sorry for all of this, Mei."

"I don't think there's anything to apologize for, Yuzu," Mei reassured, making eye contact with Yuzu."

"Thanks, Mei!" Yuzu murmured, smiling at Mei.

"Taniguchi-san, I'm sorry for the trouble we're causing you," Mei expressed, turning to look at Harumin.

Picking up the underlying message behind Mei's apology, Harumin pointed at her shirt, "This? It's a small gesture of support, Prez."

"Thank you for coming to this event," Mei retorted, scanning the small hall.

Nervous, Harumin smiled and brushed her hair with her hand, "We're glad to be here, Prez!"

Mei nodded and turned her gaze at Yuzu, "Yuzu, I need you to come with me to prepare for our part."

"Yeah, that's right! Let's do a little preparation!" exclaimed Yuzu, straightening herself and following Mei.

"Good luck, Yuzucchi!" Harumin gushed, leaving Yuzu. Harumin joined the rest of the soccer team members at the back of the small hall.

 _I'm very nervous now. Why is this happening?_

"Alright, Mei. So, we're doing it free verse style, "Yuzu sighed, staring at her shoes.

"Yuzu, I'm aware of that," Mei reassured.

 _I remember Mei saying she's not good with poetry but why does she seem cool and confident about this?_

"President!" exclaimed Hitomi, gesturing Mei to look at the performers on the small stage, "It will be our turn, next."

"What?! I thought we were going in third?" Yuzu uttered, anxiously placing both her hand on her hips.

"That was supposed to be the case, but the Art Club is still waiting for their representatives to arrive," Hitomi explained, acting both confused and concerned.

"It's alright, Hitomi. Some things just can't be helped, "Mei placated, keeping a calm facial expression.

 _How can Mei stay calm in this chaotic situation?_

"Thank you for that wonderful performance! Okay, everyone, that was the Drama Club! Let's give them a round of applause," announced the student emcee, standing on a small stage that was sufficient to accommodate only 5 people, "Now it's time for the Poetry Club's number. Let's all welcome Okogi Yuzuko with the special participation of our Student Council President, Aihara Mei!"

A sudden commotion emerged from the crowd as Mei and Yuzu walked over the small stage side by side, "Go Prez! Go Yuzucchi!" Harumin cheered, throwing a fist in the air.

"GO..." Taro prolongedly yelled, imitating the starting chant of their school's cheerleading squad.

"POETRY CLUB!" the rest of the soccer team cheered at the same moment, attracting the attention of the remaining audience in the hall. They were confused yet fascinated at the same time. Never has the Poetry Club received such overwhelming support.

Mei casually scanned the function hall only to be met by expectant expressions from the audience, "There's nothing more we can do, Yuzu," Mei whispered, sighing deeply, "Let's give them what they want."

An assistant student adjusted a couple of microphone stands in front of Mei and Yuzu, "Good luck, President."

 _Good luck to us! If there's someone listening out there, please help us! Dad!_

Looking all calm, Mei began to recite,

 **"There's a girl by the door**

 **She has the soul of a storm,"**

Surprised by Mei's sudden start, Yuzu continued,

"She's a truly beautiful girl,

But broken inside,"

Without putting so much thought on her lines, Mei exclaimed,

 **"Don't give her your heart**

 **Else, she'll break it apart,"**

Glancing at Mei, Yuzu drawled,

"She sees all her flaws and madness

Kept hidden in the dark,"

Keeping her gaze at the audience, Mei uttered

 **But she's not all that gloomy,**

 **She's as free as the wind"**

Finally getting her momentum, Yuzu exclaimed,

"Her eyes are like the stars

That glow from within,"

Mei losing her momentum, tried to remember some lines from her collection of books,

 **"She's swirling of feelings**

 **Deeper than the ocean,"**

Stepping one step closer to Mei, Yuzu mumbled,

"She's calm as a vestal,

That's how she wants to be seen"

Glancing at Yuzu, Mei jabbed,

 **"She has power to drown you,**

 **but soft enough to cleanse you,"**

"She has the strength of the sea,

The ocean deeply loves her,"

 **"She dances with the waves**

 **and smiles at the shore,"**

"To hide all her pain.." Yuzu drawled, distracted by seeing Hitomi whispering to the student emcee.

"I apologize for the short interruption, everyone. The Poetry Club president requested to have a 2-minute break. So, we'll resume the presentation in a short while," announced the student emcee.

Making her way to the stage, Hitomi fixed her gaze at the performers, "President Aihara, Okogi-san," she sighed deeply, "There's something that I need to tell you."

Stepping down the stage, Mei and Yuzu approached Hitomi.

The shorter girl leaned in closer to both Mei and Yuzu and lamented, "As much as I appreciate your presentation and your desire to use metaphors... nonetheless, there's still something lacking."

"What do you mean, Hitomi?" urged Yuzu, casually scanning the room. She noticed collective bored expressions on the faces of the audience.

 _I wish there's a way to end this. Ugghhh! This is way too much!_

Gulping, Hitomi suggested, "It would be much better if you... speak from the heart. Let it flow smoothly... naturally." Hitomi clutched her pen, "Like you once told me, Yuzu, speak like a normal person."

 _Now, you're considering that huh? A taste of your own medicine?_

"That's too much to ask, Hitomi," Mei sternly emphasized, scanning the hall.

"President, kindly give it a try. You're the kind of girl who never gives up," replied Hitomi, pleading.

"Okay, Yuzu. It's time for us to continue," Mei commanded, turning around, "I appreciate your advice, Hitomi, but I'll say whatever I want."

Signaling the emcee that they were ready to resume the presentation, they stepped back on the stage.

The student emcee got the signal, "So it seems, we're ready to continue with our program. Let's all welcome once again, President Aihara Mei and Okogi Yuzuko!"

"Yes!"Harumin cheered, "You can do it, Prez! Yuzu!"

"Yeah!" the soccer team hollered and applauded, inviting everyone in the audience to do the same thing.

Feeling Mei's anxiety, Yuzu pressed Mei's left hand which surprised the raven haired, "Mei, let's do this, "she said with a quiet confidence in her voice and calm facial expression. She let her hand go gently.

Breathing deeply, Mei began, "What is love? For me it's a fantasy, a make-believe. Sometimes, I think it's a scam that people would gladly fall for."

Astonished by Mei's choice of topic, Yuzu blurted, "What is love? For me, it isn't a thing, it can't be explained. When we try to use our head to define it, we're doing it wrong."

The audience's attention was immediately caught by the genuine expressions on both of the performers' eyes.

Looking away before facing the audience again, Mei gulped,"Why do we love, when we'd eventually get hurt?" Her eyes were full of sincerity and the listeners were captivated, "I have seen it a thousand times... People feel high on love at first, then when it fades, they crash and fall."

Internalizing Mei's words, Yuzu recounted, "I think we love not to get hurt but to experience a part of ourselves that we've never known before. My mom told me that love comes in a thousand different forms, now, you're making me think if getting hurt is also one of those forms?" Turning to her right, Yuzu glanced at Mei.

"I used to listen to a song my father loves, a line goes like this, 'Love is a many-splendored thing." Mei glanced back at Yuzu, "How can you define that to someone who has never even loved? Isn't it similar to describing colors to a blind person?"

Taken aback, Yuzu sighed deeply, "Or selling ice to Eskimos? I kinda get what you mean. Love is an overused word, it's full of cliches. When I read a poem about love, I wonder where the author gets their inspiration?"

Silent, Mei breathed deeply, "Inspiration? Does it even exist? Greeks used to have muses to arouse their curiosity. The only problem I seem to think, muses aren't real. Do we constantly have to chase something that's an illusion?"

The audience collectively sighed and Harumin clutched her chest.

"I beg, let's not get into Greek literature or my mind would explode." Yuzu jabbed, causing the audience to burst into laughter, "But I get what you mean, chasing an illusion would lead us to despair. But some people would still take that risk in order to feel, in order to love."

Turning to her left, Mei closed her eyes. She raised her head and sighed, "Would you take that risk? asked Mei, causing the audience to look at them expectantly, "I don't think I can handle all the troubles and lies."

Looking at Mei's genuine expression, Yuzu declared, "I would gladly take that risk in order to love," she then looked at the audience, holding one hand above her chest, "Love is something that can't be explained. It can only be felt."

The crowd was moved. Some even shed tears.

As the background sound faded, Mei continued, "Even if you crash and fall?"

Caught off guard, Yuzu turned to Mei, "Even so, I'd take that risk! Even if it could feel like someone pushed a dagger through my heart and set it on fire, I'd still take that risk."

Stopping for a moment, Mei closed her eyes and held her hand close to her chest, "Why would you do that? Your soul is as pure as the driven snow," she drawled, feeling every word.

Feeling intense emotions, Yuzu fought back tears and whispered, "Because I love not just to get hurt... but to feel the completeness in my heart whenever you're with me," realizing what she said, Yuzu immediately corrected herself, "whenever that person is with me."

There was a moment of silence in the hall. Yuzu could almost hear her heart pounding out of her chest.

"Yuzucchi!" shouted Harumin, wiping away tears. But Yuzu couldn't respond to her best friend, her gaze was fixed at the girl next to her who was seemingly struck by some invisible force.

 _I guess my feelings are already out there. Mei probably thinks I'm a weirdo. But why is she clutching her chest?_

"Thank you very much, President Aihara Mei and Okogi-san," the student emcee announced, sobbing and wiping away her tears.

* * *

"Sometimes, I feel like there's something missing," Yuzu confessed, looking away from Mei, "Like I have no one to run to. Have you ever felt that way, Mei?" the blonde turned to Mei, looking straight at those beautiful lavender eyes.

"Always, Yuzu," whispered the raven-haired, breaking the eye contact and stared on the grass.

"Mei, when you kissed me for the first time, my heart was instantly filled with joy. I felt complete," Yuzu softly grabbed Mei's chin, staring at those tempting and kissable lips.

"That's how I felt, too, Yuzu," Mei sighed, looking at the blonde's emerald eyes, then down to her nose, finally fixing her gaze at her lips.

"Mei," whispered Yuzu before kissing her passionately.

Giving in to the kiss, Mei held Yuzu's shoulder before wrapping her arms around the blonde's neck. She gently pulled away, "Yuzu, we can't do this," she hesitated and looked away.

"But you feel the same way, don't you, Mei?" the blonde softly whispered, leaning in closer.

"Yuzu! Yuzu! You're going to be late for school," Yuzu's mom shouted, knocking wildly on the blonde's door.

Yuzu fell off the bed. A loud thud was heard which alarmed her mother, "Yuzu, are you okay? I'm coming in now!"

* * *

To be continued... :)


	5. Chapter 5 - What Are We Doing?

Hello,

It's weekend around here. I hope you had a great week.

I just want to say 'thank you' for all your comments and reviews. I appreciate them from the bottom of my heart. :)

Here's chapter 5. I hope you like it.

Chapter 5: What Are We Doing?

* * *

"Yuzu! Yuzu! You're going to be late for school," Yuzu's mom shouted, knocking wildly on the blonde's door.

Yuzu fell off the bed. A loud thud was heard which alarmed her mother, "Yuzu, are you okay? I'm coming in now!"

"I'm okay!" exclaimed Yuzu, recovering from the fall.

 _That was just a dream._

"Breakfast is ready! Come out any time soon!"

"Thanks, Mama!"

 _What am I supposed to do? I keep thinking about Mei. If this keeps going... then I'd be in trouble._

"Yuzu, something came up at work. I need to leave right now. Have breakfast without me and have fun at school," Ume shouted behind the door.

"Mama, wait!" replied Yuzu as she ran towards the door.

"Hurry up, Yuzu!" Ume insisted, standing by the door.

Opening the door, she greeted her mother with a smile and a gentle hug, "Thanks for the breakfast, Mama."

"Yuzu, is everything okay?" inquired Ume, noticing a concerned expression on her daughter.

"Yes, Mama. I'll see you tonight," Yuzu said, smiling as she gently removed her arms.

"Take care, Yuzu," Ume made her way out of the apartment.

Yuzu noticed her phone ringing loudly by the bedside table. She walked back inside.

 _Why is Mei calling me? Should I answer her call? She_ contemplated for a while until the phone stopped ringing.

 _Oh, no! I missed her call. I mean, I intentionally did that!_ Yuzu sat at the edge of the bed, reflecting on her feelings.

Then the phone rang again.

 **"Hello? Mei?"**

 **"Hello, Yuzu."**

 **"Wazzup Mei?"**

 _Huh? Wazzup Mei? Say something formal, Yuzu._

 **"Yuzu, I just wanted to... remind you about our project."**

 **"Yes, what about our project, Mei?"**

 **"Well, we still haven't come up with some good ideas."**

 **"Yeah! What should we do, Mei?"**

 **"I'm thinking, perhaps, we can meet with one of my friends."**

 **"Huh? Why?"**

 **"He can probably give us some valuable advice."**

 **"Hmmm. If you think that would be best for us, Mei, then, I'm all for it."**

 **"Yuzu,"** whispered Mei, holding her hand on her chest.

 _Why does Mei sound anxious?_

 **"Mei? Is there anything that you want to tell me?"**

 **"About what happened on our recruitment day,"**

 **"Yes? What about it, Mei?"**

 **"Nothing... I thought you did good,"** Mei gasped, shutting her eyes closed and feeling the beating of her heart.

 **"I see. Thank you, Mei."**

 _Why do I get a feeling that Mei has something else she wants to say._

Mei opened her eyes and continued the conversation, **"Yuzu, I would like you to come with me to an event, tomorrow."**

 _Huh? Why would Mei want that?_

 **"Mei... Ummm..."**

 **"Yuzu, my friend will have a soft opening of his new Italian restaurant. I was thinking that maybe it would be a good opportunity to..."**

 _Why does she sound nervous?_

 **"Mei, are you sure that you want me to join you?"**

 **"We'll be able to learn a lot about his motivations and what inspires him. He's one of the top entrepreneurs in our country. He can help us with our project."**

 _I can't even talk about business. It's a foreign language for me. But..._

 **"Okay, Mei. If it's for our project, then I'll join you."**

 **"By the way, we need to be in semi formal. Is that alright with you?"**

 _That would be fantastic! Now I have a reason to wear a short dress._

 **"Mei, I'm kinda nervous to attend such event."**

 **"I see. I'll give you some time to think about it."**

 _Why did I say that? Of course I want to go. But Mei probably thinks I'm strange._

 **"Yuzu, let me know within the day. I'll be at the student council office after class."**

 **"Got it! I'll meet you there or umm.. I'll call or text..."** Yuzu stammered.

 **"That will be all, Yuzu. I'll be hanging up now."**

 **"Bye, Mei!"**

 _Bye, babe! I wish!_

After the call, both girls held their phones close to their chests, smiling.

* * *

At noon in the cafeteria...

"You look really happy, Yuzucchi," commented Harumin, picking up a small piece of Katsudon with her chopsticks, "This is so delicious."

Yuzu decided to also put a piece in her mouth, "You're right, Harumin! This is so delicious."

Both Harumin and Yuzu sighed in heavenly delight.

"Yuzucchi, are you seeing someone?" asked Harumin, relishing her meal.

 _What does Harumin mean by that?_

Startled, Yuzu growled, "Harumin, why are you asking that?"

"You have a different glow," said Harumin, intensifying her gaze at Yuzu, "More like a lovestruck-girl-kind-of glow."

"Hey! don't say that, Harumin," replied Yuzu as she turned to look out the window.

"That glow looks good on you, Yuzucchi! You look adorable," teased Harumin, smiling genuinely.

 _Maybe I can't really hide my emotions._

"Now who's the lucky guy?"

 _Huh? Whenever I think of Mei. I feel really happy._

"Harumin, stop that!" Yuzu glared at her best friend.

"Okay, you don't wanna tell me. That's fine," Harumin retorted, looking defeated.

"It's not that I don't wanna tell you, Harumin. It's just that..." Yuzu stared at her food.

"Don't worry, Yuzucchi. Just tell me when you're ready," Harumin soothed, smiling and finishing her Katsudon.

"Harumin, you're the best!" Yuzu gushed, smiling back at her best friend.

"Do you have any plans for this weekend, Yuzucchi? Let's go shopping, this Saturday. We haven't done this in a while."

"That will be tomorrow, Harumin. Ummm..." Yuzu looked away, "I actually have a plan."

"Too bad. Lots of stores will go on sale tomorrow," Harumin replied, breathing out heavily in disappointment, "I guess that's more important than hanging out with me," she continued pretending to be jealous.

"That's not true, Harumin," Yuzu jabbed, taking a piece of crispy chicken katsudon with her chopsticks, "I made plans with Mei."

"With the Prez, huh?" Harumin gazed at Yuzu, smirking.

"What's with that look, Harumin?" Yuzu arched her brow.

"Nothing, Yuzucchi. So, what will you two do?" Harumin asked, placing a finger on her chin.

"So, there's this new restaurant and they will have their soft opening," explained Yuzu, looking away from Harumin's prying eyes.

"That sounds cool! So you're going to the soft opening with the Prez?! Can I join you, guys?" exclaimed Harumin, playfully slamming the table and stood up.

"Harumin... I'll..." Yuzu hesitantly replied, looking at the entrance.

"Just kidding, Yuzucchi!" Harumin chuckled and sat on her chair, "I know, it's a special thing with the Prez?"

 _A special thing?_

"We're just going to do some... research... I mean an interview for our project, I guess," Yuzu mumbled, looking at her best friend.

"Damn it!" Harumin playfully said, "How can we ever have the chance to beat the two of you?" she said, moving her head sideways.

"You warned me before, Harumin. Mei is a perfectionist. I'm just trying to keep up," Yuzu giggled.

"You're just keeping up, huh?" Harumin arched her brow, "You like this, Yuzu. You like working with the Prez."

 _I'm really getting too obvious._

"I'm just hoping her drive would rub off on me, someday," replied Yuzu, laughing nervously.

* * *

Saturday evening at home...

Yuzu stepped into the bathroom. She turned on the warm water. _I'm really going to this event with Mei. I'm kinda nervous._

She stripped her towel and hurried through the bath. She was done after thirty minutes. She quickly dried herself clean. _I wonder what Mei will wear tonight. I bet she looks really gorgeous._

"Yuzu, I'm home," shouted Ume from the living room.

"Welcome home, Mama! I'm in the bathroom!" yelled Yuzu, blow drying her hair, "I'm getting ready to go out."

"Yuzu, relax! You seem to be rushing!"

 _I need to relax. Mama's right._

As Yuzu hurried back to her room, she flashed her mother a big smile, "Welcome back, Mama!"

Yuzu opened her closet and searched for the best attire to wear. Feeling defeated she sat on her bed contemplating whether to go to the opening or lying to Mei about having fever. _I have nothing nice to wear. Mei probably looks like a beautiful modern-day goddess by now and here I am. Ugghhhh!_

She stood up one more time and searched through her piles of clothing until she saw a dress she bought before moving to Tokyo. It was a red off-the-shoulder dress with a darted bodice that would create a fitted waist. _This looks perfect. I almost forgot about this dress. Let me try this on._

She watched herself in the mirror, content with what she was seeing, she grabbed a pair of pearl dangling earrings. Those were the earrings her mother bought her for her sixteenth birthday. Then, Yuzu took out a new pair of strappy blush heels that perfectly complemented her dress.

Looking at herself in the mirror for the last time, she said out loud, "Okay, I'm ready for this!"

Yuzu walked out of the room only to be met by a mother with a delighted look on her face, "Mama, does this dress look good on me?" asked Yuzu.

"Wait, Yuzu," her mother dashed into her room to get something and returned immediately, "You need this. You look really lovely," she handed Yuzu a silver clutch bag and hugged her daughter tightly.

"Mama, I can't breathe."

Ume gently put her arms away, "I've never seen you this way, Yuzu. Who are you going out with?"

"I texted you about it, Mama. I'm joining our Student Council President, Aihara Mei,"

"Aihara?" exclaimed Ume. An unsettling feeling began welling up inside her.

"Yes, Mama. Is there anything wrong?

Ume turned to look at her daughter one more time, "Nothing, Yuzu. Enjoy your time tonight. Don't come home too late, okay?"

"Thank you, Mama," Yuzu slowly walked out their apartment.

 _There was something strange with Mama's reaction but I couldn't quite tell what it was._

* * *

Lucciola Cucina sits in the heart of Shibuya. It has a glass terrace with the purpose of filling it with sunlight during the day.

On its soft opening night, each table was lit up with candles and the place was illuminated by the stars and the moon. Mei looked out over the moonlight, captivated by the beauty of the scenery. Twenty minutes had passed since she arrived, still early for the opening night. The raven haired donned a classic bandage black dress. The fabric caressed Mei's curves flawlessly and created a perfect silhouette. Yuzu's guess was right, Mei looked like a modern-day goddess.

Everyone was dressed nicely for tonight. Although Mei had attended quite a number of social events in the past, she had never gotten accustomed to the party scene. She learned to suppress her protest and anxiety to please her family. But tonight was different. The owner had been her good friend since childhood.

"Mei, it's nice to see you tonight," someone said, taking a deep breath, "You look breathtakingly beautiful," he gushed.

Mei bowed slightly to conceal a small blush.

"Make yourself at home, here. Though this is our opening night, I wanted this evening to be intimate. I have only invited few close friends," the person continued.

"Thank you, Kenji," Mei looked at the man in a semi formal suit. Kenji Russo is of Japanese and Italian descent, who had been living in Japan for almost a decade, "This is place is lovely," Mei uttered.

"It's always been my dream to open an Italian restaurant here in Japan, Mei," Kenji said, looking out the glass window over the stars.

"I see," sighed Mei as she fixed her gaze at the bright stars above them.

"I'm glad that you're here for the opening," Kenji smiled, still looking at the sky.

"Kenji..." Mei hissed.

"Is there anything bothering you, Mei?" Kenji asked, turning slightly to Mei. He was tall and he used to be a male model in his late teens but decided to stop when he found himself lost in the superficiality of the industry.

"I'm just wondering why you decided to leave Italy," Mei turned around slowly,

"Let's just say, I wasn't happy in Italy," he uttered, turning around, "You know, you can tell me anything, Mei. You're like a sister to me."

Leaning on the glass platform, Mei sighed, "Well... Kenji..." pausing, her attention was then fixed at someone in a red dress wandering in the restaurant as if looking for somebody important.

"Alright, just tell me when you're ready, Mei," replied Kenji, "Who's that girl in the red dress? She looks beautiful but she seems lost."

Mei cleared her throat and answered, "She's my friend, Kenji."

"Oh. So, you've invited her to interview me for your project at school?" inquired Kenji, smirking.

"Yes, we're project partners. Thank you for agreeing to have a conversation with us," Mei said, still gazing at the girl in red dress.

"Is that the only reason you invited her?" Kenji turned to his side and stared straight into Mei's eyes.

"I'm not exactly sure what you mean by that question, Kenji," she casually retorted, returning an eye contact.

Kenji chuckled, "Oh, Mei, for the longest time I have known you, you never fail to amaze me on how you answer things. I get it."

Mei looked away, "I'll introduce you to her," she insisted.

"Alright, Signorina Aihara," he teased, chortling.

As Kenji and Mei left the terrace, the raven haired received a call from Yuzu, but Mei decided not to answer it.

Walking ever so silently, Mei approached the blonde, "Yuzu," uttered Mei.

Startled, Yuzu turned around still holding her phone over her ear.

 _She looks really beautiful._ Yuzu's heart melted.

 _"_ Yuzu, did you have a difficult time finding this place?" asked Mei, looking at the blonde.

"Uhhh. Nope. Thanks for sending me the directions last night, Mei," Yuzu hissed, trying to gain courage to make eye contact with Mei.

"I see. There's someone I'd like you to meet, Yuzu," Mei turned to her left, "This is Kenji Russo, the owner of this restaurant."

"It's nice to meet..." Yuzu was interrupted by Kenji's swift movement.

He softly reached for her right hand. He bowed and kissed the back of her hand, "I'm glad to meet you, Yuzu," he gushed.

Mei glared at Kenji's 'show of courtesy.'

Yuzu pulled her hand back and nervously smiled, "The place looks really nice," she commented anxiously.

"Grazie, Yuzu," Kenji replied, smiling at the blonde, "So you came here for your project," he added.

"Ummm, yes! I guess that's true," Yuzu jabbed, turning her glance at Mei.

"I told Mei earlier that opening an Italian restaurant in Tokyo has always been a dream of mine," Kenji shared. "Business is very similar to love. Sometimes it finds us, sometimes we find it."

 _This guy is good-looking but he's saying strange things._

"Kenji," Mei uttered, looking at their table.

"Ah, yes. My bad. Let me show you our table, ladies," Kenji urged, gesturing Mei and Yuzu to follow him, "Please don't mind people staring at the both of you. You're two of the most beautiful people around tonight."

"Watch that mouth, Kenji," warned Mei, glaring at him.

"I didn't expect that coming from Aihara Mei," he joked, smiling.

Yuzu walked beside Mei and commented, "Mei, you look really beautiful tonight. I mean not just tonight but you know... ummm..." she stuttered and looked away to hide her embarrassment.

 _Oh my gosh! Mei probably thinks I'm so strange. Get yourself together, Yuzu._

"Thank you, Yuzu," answered Mei.

Hearing Mei's response, Yuzu lit up along with all the stars above them.

"Ladies, here we are," Kenji said, smiling at the girls. Their table was beautifully positioned under a glass ceiling. The natural light from the moon shone brightly at the entire area. The music on the background created a perfect ambiance, "Have a seat," Kenji pulled a chair for each them.

 _This is an amazing place._

"Thank you, Kenji-san," uttered Yuzu as she readied herself to sit.

Kenji laughed, "Although we're not the same age, you can simply call me by my first name, Yuzu."

"Sorry, Kenji," Yuzu giggled and bowed slightly.

"There's no need to bow either," replied Kenji as he sat across the girls, "Our food will be ready soon. I hope you like pasta."

"Yeah, I do love pasta," exclaimed the blonde.

"That's great, Yuzu. You have something in common with Mei. She absolutely loves pasta," Kenji retorted, glancing softly at Mei.

"That is not incorrect, Kenji," the raven haired quipped.

Kenji laughed, "You're one smart lady, Mei,"

"I'll take that as a compliment, Kenji," Mei sternly said.

"How long have you known each other?" the blonde interrupted, glancing at Kenji and casually at Mei.

"I have known Mei for about 10 years. Her father and my father are close friends. But my dad had me way before Mei's dad had her," Kenji retorted, smiling at the girls across him.

"He's been an annoying presence in my life since," Mei quipped, keeping a calm face.

Kenji laughed uncontrollably, "Yuzu, Mei is like a sister to me. I'm an only child and she's in the same situation."

"That's so cool. I'm an only child as well," declared Yuzu, unconsciously tapping the table with her palms.

"Maybe we should put up our own club. The only requirement we need is that a member needs to be an only child. What do you think, Yuzu?" Kenji laughed.

Yuzu giggled but Mei remained composed.

"So, let's get down to business. What have you, girls, been meaning to ask me?" Kenji asked, gazing at the girls.

"I think I have already mentioned this but we haven't come up with ideas yet for our business plan competition," Mei emphasized, holding her glass of water.

"So, Aihara Mei needs my help with coming up with a brilliant business idea?" Kenji playfully quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Kenji! That's right! Where do great ideas come from anyway?" Yuzu interjected.

Kenji leaned back and straightened the front of his suit, "Before I answer that, let's have an antipasto first."

A waiter approached their table holding an antipasto platter, "Grazie," Kenji uttered.

"Thank you," both girls politely exclaimed.

"The first stage in forming an idea is similar to having an antipasto or an appetizer. We need something to nibble on before the first course," Kenji gestured Yuzu to try their Marcona almonds.

 _What is that?_

"In this stage, we are inspired by a lot of ideas. From my experience, ideas that come from our hearts are usually the best ones. For instance, Mei is into social entrepreneurship," Kenji said, cutting a piece of salame from the platter.

 _Entra- What did he just say? This is awkward._

What do you mean, Kenji? asked Yuzu, looking all confused.

"It's doing business for a social cause, Yuzu." Mei answered, looking at Yuzu.

"If you haven't known it already, Yuzu. Mei truly finds joy in helping others. When our families were vacationing in Cambodia, Mei was about eight years old then, she asked me to buy about five sets of various meals from a fast food restaurant in secret."

Mei's cheeks were starting to fill with color, "Kenji, please don't share that."

"I asked her why and she just pointed at the five kids who seemingly didn't have anything to eat yet. We went to buy them some meals without the knowledge of our parents," Kenji continued.

 _Ohhh..._

Yuzu, out of nowhere, shed a tear to Mei's surprise.

"Yuzu, are you alright?" the raven-haired asked, getting a piece of tissue from her purse. She then handed it to Yuzu.

The blonde took the tissue and accidentally touched Mei's hand, which gave them both mild static shocks. Mei pulled away immediately.

 _What was that? Did Mei feel the same thing?_

"Thank you, Mei," whispered Yuzu, staring at the platter.

"Then comes the primo, or the first course. This is similar to having a crush or strong liking for someone. Although, this is not the main event, this gives us a good view on what's to come," Kenji said, glancing at the girls and back at the waiter who was ready to serve them, "Grazie," Kenji bowed slightly at the waiter.

"Yuzu, do you currently have a crush on someone?" inquired Kenji playfully, hinting Yuzu to try the pasta.

 _Huh? Why is Kenji asking me this all of a sudden?_

"I guess all of us have crushes," replied Yuzu, twirling the spaghetti.

"That might be true. Tell me how it feels like to have a crush on someone, Yuzu?" Kenji insisted.

 _Kenji is so strange. How does it feel like? Ugghhh._

"It feels like your mind goes a little crazy as if I can't think straight when the person is around. My heart starts to beat rapidly without any warning and my stomach flutters," Yuzu retorted, making eye contact with Kenji.

"That's how it feels like to have a brilliant idea. We think about it constantly, we're never separated from it," Kenji gushed, looking at Mei.

"I see. So we've come here for nothing, Kenji," Mei gave Kenji a disinterested look. But Kenji wasn't fazed because he knew that was just one of the fronts that Mei would put on in uncomfortable situations.

"Don't be harsh, Mei," Kenji teased, gesturing the waiter to bring them their drinks. The waiter brought them their fancy beverages.

"Thank you," Yuzu smiled at the waiter.

"We've been beating around the bush for about half an hour already," Mei snapped, glaring at Kenji while holding her glass before getting ready to drink.

 _Are they going to have an argument?_

"Yeah, Kenji. Can you give us some tip on how we can find the best ideas without having to go through the steps you shared?" Yuzu tried to break the tension.

"All I'm saying, good ideas are hard to come by. Ideas that are worthwhile come from the heart, from experience, sometimes from pain," Kenji pushed his glass away from himself and leaned back on his chair, "Let's enjoy this good music, first."

A singer started her rendition of a lovely Italian song. The music magically filled the restaurant with a romantic atmosphere.

After several minutes, Yuzu noticed something strange with Mei. She held Mei's hand and it felt like it was getting hotter and hotter, "Mei, are you okay?" she whispered.

Kenji stood up immediately and approached Mei. He held Mei's shoulders gently against the back of the chair. The raven haired was seemingly losing control of her body.

"What is happening? Why do I feel dizzy?" Mei said, slurring her speech.

Yuzu instinctively grabbed Mei's glass of drink and asked Kenji, "Does this have alcohol in it?"

Kenji took the glass and got a whiff of the drink, "Crap! It actually has. And it's quite strong. Damn it!"

"What? You didn't know that beforehand?" Yuzu bellowed, still holding Mei's hand.

Worried, Kenji straightened himself, "Stay here with Mei, Yuzu. I'll go talk to my staff," he commanded.

Extremely troubled and unsure, Yuzu stayed to watch Mei.

Like a child who's afraid to get lost in a wide space, Mei held Yuzu's hand tighter. The blonde softly placed Mei's head on her shoulder for better support, "You can lean on my shoulder, Mei," she whispered.

The third song was suddenly ending when Kenji returned to their table. Looking all distressed, he sat on his knee next to Mei to check her condition. Gasping, he looked up to see Yuzu, "Yuzu, I need you to take Mei home with you," he stammered.

"What?!" hissed Yuzu.

Shutting his eyes closed, Kenji mumbled, "She can't go home like this."

"Why not?" Yuzu asked, looking all concerned.

"Her father might kill us, Yuzu," Kenji slowly answered, not bothering to give further details.

Breathing deeply, Yuzu softly glanced at the girl next to her, "Okayyy..." she drawled, as a hint of blush tinted her cheeks, her heart fluttering as she felt Mei cuddling her head on her shoulder. For a moment, Yuzu wanted to wrap her arms around Mei to make her feel okay. As Mei continued to cuddle closer, Yuzu could recognize the perfume Mei was wearing. It brought her back to the day they first exchanged contact details.

 _I can't be thinking about these things in this situation. Mei isn't feeling good._

"Yuzu," Mei whispered which stunned the blonde. Mei looked so helpless.

Yuzu gently stroke Mei's head to comfort her, "Mei, it's okay."

Kenji stood up, straightened his suit and grabbed a key from his pocket, "Yuzu, I'll take you home now."

 _Huh? Would Mei be able to walk to the parking lot?_

"Uhmm, Kenji..." Yuzu sighed, looking a bit unsettled, "Mei won't be able to walk by herself."

"I can," Mei spoke slowly under her breath.

 _What? Why is she..._

Kenji leaned over, "Yuzu, place Mei's right arm around you and I'll help you both to the car."

With her right hand, Yuzu reached out for Mei's hand and snuck her arm around her neck, "Mei, trust me, okay," she whispered through her breath. She gently wrapped her left hand behind Mei's waist.

Kenji moved closer to assist the girls, "Stand very slowly," he instructed, holding Mei's shoulder for support.

Losing her balance, Yuzu almost fell to her right, "Oh no..." she cried, quickly moving her right leg to the side, "That was close."

"Yuzu, are you okay?" Kenji stammered, holding both girls.

"Yeah, Kenji. Thanks," Yuzu struggled.

Passed out, Mei could barely stand. Yuzu held her right arm tightly. To regain balance, the blonde tightly wrapped her left arm around Mei's waist, this time. But Mei could not help but rest her head on Yuzu's shoulder.

"Mei, just hold tight. I got you," Yuzu whispered, making small strides.

With his arms open but not quite touching the girls, Kenji walked very closely behind them, "Yuzu, I'm right behind you. Just walk straight ahead."

* * *

In the car...

Still extremely dizzy, Mei rested her head on Yuzu's arm. They were in Kenji's two-seater Lamborghini. Although a little uncomfortable, Mei and Yuzu were able to fit in the passenger seat.

"Yuzu, where should I park?" Kenji gasped, careful not to wake Mei up.

Cradling Mei like a baby, Yuzu hissed, "Just turn left, Kenji."

 _My goodness! My heart is beating out of my chest!_

Unable to keep her balance and desperate for support, Mei cuddled closer.

 _I don't know how I should feel. I shouldn't be thinking of... Ugghhh!_

"That was easy to park," Kenji sighed, feeling relieved, "Which floor are you on?" he asked, getting out of the car.

"Twenty third!" Yuzu exclaimed, causing Mei to move closer.

 _Why did I shout? I hope I didn't wake Mei up._

Walking closer to Yuzu, Kenji consoled, "Okay careful," he assisted the blonde as she slowly put her left leg out for better support.

"Mei," Yuzu whispered, "We're here. Just hold tight okay," she hissed, wrapping her arms tighter around Mei. She put her other leg out as she pulled Mei carefully out with her. Kenji, being the gentleman, stood close to Yuzu as if ready to catch both girls in case they would fall.

Still holding Mei tighter, Yuzu stepped out of the car, cautiously and slowly pulling Mei with her.

Catching her breath, she turned to Kenji, "Mei's family will be looking for her."

"Don't worry about that, Yuzu. I can come up with an excuse. Mei can't be seen like this," Kenji soothed, assisting both girls to stand.

Unable to stand still, Mei held on to Yuzu's arm which was wrapped around her waist. The blonde placed Mei's left arm around her neck and held on to her hand. Kenji stood very close behind them.

"Yuzu, I'm very sorry for this," Kenji gasped, walking slowly behind the girls, "I would have carried Mei but I don't think she would want that."

"Yeah, no worries, Kenji," Yuzu soothed, making small strides and keeping a firm grip on Mei's hand.

Ushering Yuzu towards the entrance, Kenji related, "Mei never wanted to be touched by anyone. When she was ten, she hit me so hard for accidentally touching her."

Amused, Yuzu tittered, "But she wouldn't hit me, would she, Kenji?"

"She wouldn't do that, Yuzu," Kenji reassured, pressing the 23rd button in the elevator.

Repositioning herself and the girl next to her, Yuzu mumbled, "It's Mei's first time to get drunk, accidentally."

 _Even if I don't feel comfortable. Even if I'm having a hard time carrying Mei around, I thank every deity that Mei is okay._

Sighing deeply, she whispered softly, "We're here Mei."

Guiding Mei with her steps, both girls walked out of the elevator slowly with Kenji just close behind them.

"Thank you, Yuzu," Kenji softly said.

"Hey, stop acting like that!" Yuzu blurted, "I wouldn't leave Mei like this." Stepping in front of their apartment door, Yuzu sighed, "Here we are, Kenji."

Assisting Yuzu with her purse to get the key card, Kenji requested, "Please take care of her, Yuzu."

Gently releasing Mei's right arm from her neck, Yuzu grabbed the key card from her purse. She then inserted it, "Voila, welcome to our humble abode."

"Yuzu, I need to go back to the restaurant," Kenji said, handing Yuzu their purses, "Make sure to keep your phone with you. I forgot to ask you about your number, Yuzu."

"It's 090-15xx-xxxx," Yuzu replied, leading Mei in their apartment slowly.

"Thank you. I'll call you when I get back to the restaurant. For now, I'd like you to look after Mei," Kenji insisted, causing the blonde to turn her head to look at him.

Noticing Kenji's anxiety written on his face, Yuzu smiled, "I will," she consoled.

Reassured, Kenji smiled, bowed his head to bid goodbye and closed the door softly.

Unwrapping her arm around Mei's waist, Yuzu gently sat Mei on the elevated entryway, making sure she leaned on the wall. The blonde grabbed a pair of her slippers and another pair for Mei. Bending down, she removed Mei's shoes and softly lifted her leg above the elevated step and put on her slippers.

 _I can't believe Mei is here. I just hope she gets better._

She then removed her shoes and put on her pair of slippers.

"Mei, we're home," Yuzu softly whispered, wrapping her arm around Mei's waist to help her stand.

 _She really smells good. I can't be thinking about these things right now!_

"Mei, you need to rest. We're going to my room," soothed Yuzu, guiding Mei with her steps.

Still unable to keep her balance, Mei held on to Yuzu's arm tightly, "Yuzu," she spoke under her breath before resting her head against Yuzu's shoulder.

"It's okay, Mei. I'm here for you," Yuzu comforted, reaching out for Mei's head to allow the raven-haired to cuddle closer.

The pair made their way to Yuzu's room in small strides. Opening the door, Yuzu guided Mei inside before switching the lights on.

"Alright, Mei," Yuzu gasped, releasing Mei and allowing her to sit at the edge of the bed.

 _Damn! She looks really beautiful._

Ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, Yuzu quickly arranged the pillow for Mei to rest. She then bent down to remove Mei's slippers.

With her left hand on Mei's head, Yuzu softly allowed Mei to rest on the pillow. Then she helped Mei lift her legs but before she could even do that, Mei grabbed Yuzu's left hand. Startled, the blonde allowed herself to be pulled closer. She ended up bending down as Mei pulled her closer and closer until they were face to face.

 _What is Mei doing?_

Eyes still shut, Mei reached out for Yuzu's face.

 _Oh my god! What is she doing?_

With the tip of her hand, Mei began caressing the blonde's face from her forehead, trailing down to her brow, making a stop on her eyelid, then to her nose. With her thumb positioned above her upper lip, she stopped, bringing Yuzu back to her senses.

Regaining herself, Yuzu opened her eyes with Mei's hand still on her face.

 _Why do I feel a warm sensation in my body? Mei's scent is... intoxicating... Crap! Why do I want to kiss Mei's hand?_

Eyes still closed, Mei continued exploring Yuzu's face, softly reading it like braille. Her ring finger settled on Yuzu's lower lip, allowing the blonde's lips to part slightly.

Getting lost in the moment, Yuzu responded by caressing Mei's palm with her face moving ever so slowly and in tune with her touches.

Yuzu blanked out. She kissed Mei's palm softly, leaning in closer until her lips touched Mei's. All of a sudden, they were kissing. Mei leaned back little by little, tilting her head, allowing the blonde access to one of her sensitive spots. Before Yuzu could even take the chance to process everything, her lips found Mei's neck, kissing it softly and lightly. Marking a path with small kisses, Yuzu advanced towards a particularly sensitive area, causing Mei to moan and tip her head more. Yuzu softly opened her mouth and allowed her lips make contact with Mei's skin. Mei deepened her breath from the heat of Yuzu's kisses. The blonde pulled back gently to catch some air. It was the most fantastic, endearing, and sensuous thing that Yuzu had ever experienced.

After catching a few breaths, Yuzu came back to her senses. Her eyes widened out of astonishment.

 _Oh my god! What are we doing?_

* * *

To be continued...

Thank you so much for leaving nice comments on chapter 4. The poetry scene was probably one of the toughest scenes I've ever written. I needed to take a break to finish it because Yuzu's emotions were almost palpable. I'm happy that you liked it.


	6. Chapter 6 - Crazy Idea

Chapter 6: Crazy Idea

* * *

With her heart beating hard and fast, Yuzu remained silent for a moment. She watched Mei reach out her hand.

 _I can't do this! Not in this situation._

Suppressing her desire, Yuzu leaned in to put Mei to bed. As she successfully rested Mei's head on the pillow, she simply caressed Mei's hair and tucked a strand gently behind her ear.

Cuddling her head on the pillow, Mei spoke ever so slowly under her breath. "Yuzu, ... poem for ..." she said, slurring her words.

Shocked, Yuzu deciphered Mei's message through her slurred speech.

 _Does she know that?_

"Mei, it's time to sleep," soothed Yuzu, pulling a blanket and tucking it around Mei's shoulders.

Yuzu yawned and stretched her whole body. She walked carefully to the other side of the bed.

Out of nowhere, her phone rang which stunned her. She immediately grabbed ahold of her purse and hurried out of the room so she wouldn't wake Mei up. Opening her purse, the phone stopped ringing.

"It's Kenji," she softly said. Yuzu decided to just send him a text message then put her phone on silent.

Unable to fight her sleepiness back, she stretched for the last time before getting in the bed.

"Good night, Mei," she whispered, slipping under the blanket.

* * *

Yuzu awoke with a slight pain underlying the numbness in her right arm, "My arm feels really heavy," she muttered. Even before she opened her eyes, she realized she wasn't alone in the bed and someone was sleeping on her arm.

 _Mei is sleeping in my bed, next to me but my arm really hurts._

Turning slightly to her right, Yuzu could just watch Mei sleep forever by her side but she needed to do something because her arm was getting heavier and number. Luckily, Mei slowly turned to the other side, releasing Yuzu's arm.

"I can't move my arm," she spoke under her breath. _But it doesn't matter. Mei is here._ She smiled as she softly rubbed away the sleep fogging her vision. _I can stay like this forever._

Mei woke up all of a sudden. Her lavender eyes took in every ray of light and without a doubt she knew she slept too long and wasn't in her own bedroom. She turned to her left and wasn't surprised to see Yuzu sleeping peacefully.

 _Why did she suddenly wake up? Pretend to sleep... pretend to sleep._

"Yuzu," Mei softly whispered, gazing at the blonde.

 _Pretend to sleep, Yuzu. How will you tell her what happened last night? You kissed her, remember?_

Moving her body gently to stretch, Yuzu slowly opened her eyes and breathed deeply.

 _Okay... fake it!_

As Yuzu turned, she was met by Mei's piercing eyes. "Mei, are you hungry?" she stammered, rubbing her eyes gently.

"I am," Mei whispered, looking straight at Yuzu's eyes. "What happened last night?"

 _Should I tell her? i feel really guilty. I blanked out. I wasn't able to control myself._

"Uhh, Mei... so..." Yuzu stuttered.

"I got drunk?" asked Mei, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. And..." Yuzu stammered, rubbing her eye with the back of her hand.

"I have low tolerance for alcohol. It is possible that the waiter mixed up my drink." Mei maintained an eye contact.

"Yeah, that's right. Also..."

"Yes? Did something else happen?"

Nervous, Yuzu breathed in deeply. "Mei, don't you remember anything?"

"Yuzu! Yuzu! Do you have someone with you?" Yuzu's mother yelled behind the door.

Startled, both girls stared at the door

"Yes, Mama! We're getting out soon," Yuzu gushed, slowly slipping out of the blanket.

"Okay. Join me for brunch. I want to meet your friend," exclaimed Ume.

Sitting up over the side of the bed, Yuzu said, "Mei, I heard coffee is good for hangover. I'll help you get up."

"I feel a little light-headed but I think I can manage to do that on my own," Mei reassured, trying to sit up but her body involuntarily swung to her left.

Yuzu quickly turned to her right and opened her arms widely to catch Mei. She urged, "Mei, I'll just bring you your breakfast. Please don't force yourself to get up. Mama will understand."

"Just give me a moment, Yuzu," Mei whispered, shutting her eyes closed and feeling her world spin from every direction. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and sighed deeply to recover from the dizziness. "I'm okay," she soothed, glancing at Yuzu whose hands were holding her shoulders.

"Okay, then. Try to stand very slowly, Ms. President," Yuzu teased, giving Mei a bright smile that can rival the sun shining on them. "Wait! Just sit still." Yuzu dashed to Mei's side of the bed.

"Yuzu, you don't have to do that," Mei said, lifting her legs to prevent Yuzu from putting on her slippers. "I can do it on my own," she sighed, looking away to hide her embarrassment.

Yuzu chuckled, "But I did more than this, last night, Mei."

 _What am I saying?_

"I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you, Yuzu," Mei mumbled, glancing at the blonde.

Looking at Mei's worried expression, Yuzu insisted, "Don't say that, Mei. You're no trouble at all. Come, let's have brunch with Mama. We've slept way too long. You must be hungry by now." She offfered a hand.

Mei stood up slowly with Yuzu next to her. "Thank you, Yuzu," she replied, holding on to Yuzu's hand for a little support.

"Umm, Mei? Can I ask you something?"

"As long as it's not difficult to answer."

"Last night, Kenji was very worried about what happened. He told me that he would come up with an excuse to tell your parents. Are your parents really that strict?" asked Yuzu with a genuine concern in her eyes.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Mei hesitated, "Umm..."

"I'm sorry for asking, Mei. You don't have to answer it," soothed Yuzu. "Come with me outside," Yuzu grabbed Mei's forearm.

 _I shouldn't have asked her that question. Why couldn't I keep my mouth shut?_

"Okay." Mei slowly walked behind Yuzu.

"Good morning," greeted Ume, smiling from the dining table. She was enjoying her cup coffee when the girls went out of the room. "Why are you still in your dresses? Yuzu, you should have let her change into something comfortable."

Scratching her head and chortling, Yuzu responded, "Yeah, that's a good idea, Mama. But first we have to eat."

Gesturing the girls to join her, Ume admitted, "While you, girls, were still asleep, I went out to buy us sushi from the restaurant across the street. I tried one and it's very delicious."

"Thanks, Mama," Yuzu said, pulling a chair next to her for Mei to sit.

Without forgetting her manners, Mei introduced herself. "My name is Aihara Mei. It's a pleasure to meet you, Okogi-san." She gave her a respectful bow.

Ume immediately got up from her seat and approached Mei/ "Hey, we're happy to have you here," she reassured, hugging Mei. Letting her go, she gestured the raven haired to have a seat. "Now, let's have brunch. You must be hungry by now."

"Mei, make yourself comfortable," Yuzu said, smiling at the girl beside her. "I hope you like sushi."

"Yuzu, your friend is really beautiful. She must be very popular at school," Ume gushed, picking a piece of sushi with her chopsticks.

Mei looked away slightly to hide a tinge of blush on her cheeks.

"She's the most popular girl at school, Mama, and also the smartest," exclaimed Yuzu, smiling and glancing at Mei.

"I believe your parents are very proud to have a daughter like you, Mei-chan," Ume said, smiling at Mei.

"Thank you," Mei responded, making an eye contact with Ume.

"Mei-chan, your last name is familiar. Aihara Development Corporation is the real-estate developer of this residential building," Ume recounted, picking a piece of food from the platter.

Breathing deeply, Mei responded, "My great grandfather founded the Aihara Group almost 80 years ago. Aihara Development is one of its subsidiaries."

Yuzu dropped a piece of sushi from her chopsticks, speechless. Ume and Mei turned to look at the blonde.

Sighing, Ume moved her head from side to side. "Yuzu, you're making a mess." Lifting her head, she looked at Mei. "I'm sorry Mei-chan. Yuzu can be clumsy, sometimes."

"It's alright." Mei nodded.

Dumbfounded, Yuzu remained still for a moment.

"Yuzu, you have to let your friend change into something comfortable," Ume suggested before drinking a refreshing glass of water.

Turning to her right, Yuzu raised her head to make an eye contact with Mei. "Is that okay with you, Mei?"

 _This is so uncomfortable._

"It's alright, Yuzu. I don't mind at all," Mei reassured, keeping a calm demeanor.

"There are some new clothes I bought last week with Harumin," Yuzu gushed at the thought of Mei wearing her clothes. "I guess, you would look perfect in them," she continued.

 _Styling is fun. Mei would look great in any style! But why is she cool with all of this?_

"Mei-chan, it only means that you're the heiress of the Aihara Group?" Ume interjected.

Holding her chopsticks, Mei remained silent for a moment. Breathing deeply, she whispered, "I suppose that's true." Her voice was filled with worries.

 _Why doesn't Mei seem happy about it? Being an heiress is so much fun, I guess._

Noticing Mei's worried expression, Yuzu lightly patted her shoulder. "You don't have to answer Mama's questions, Mei. She can be nosy sometimes," Yuzu said, slightly glaring at her mother.

Ume burst out laughing before she could grab a piece of crispy vegetable from the platter. "I'm sorry, Mei-chan. Yuzu is right, I can be nosy sometimes. Now, you girls, better focus on your meal," she exclaimed, smiling brightly at the girls.

"Let's finish our meal, Mei."

Mei slid a strand of her hair between her fingers before looking at Yuzu. The atmosphere of the place and the conversation at the table brought Mei an unfamiliar sense of comfort. Given how busy her parents were with their businesses, to have dinner or lunch together as a family would be something of a rare occurrence for her. She buried the thought of having a normal family time, long ago.

* * *

"They fit you perfectly, Mei," exclaimed Yuzu, entering her room after a refreshing bath. She noticed Mei had already worn the clothes she prepared for her. Yuzu had been meaning to wear the black leggings and grey top she bought with Harumin a month ago but didn't have the opportunity to do so.

Brushing her midnight-black hair which was still slightly wet, Mei said, "Thank you. Uh, Yuzu..."

"Yes, Mei?" replied Yuzu, making her way in front the mirror.

"You mentioned before that you kept most of your father's poems at home," she asked, lifting her head to look at the blonde.

 _Mei does have a good memory, huh._

Delighted, Yuzu turned to face Mei. "Yes, they're in that box," she gushed, pointing at the box in the shelf.

"I would love to read some of his works, if that's alright with you?" she asked, gazing at Yuzu.

The blonde immediately ran towards the box in a few steps. "Sure, Mei!" she gushed, taking the box from the shelf.

 _My body involuntarily ran to get the box. Why was that?_

The blonde carried the box and placed it over the edge of the bed, right next to where Mei was sitting. "Mei, there's one poem that I haven't read in years and Mama wouldn't even dare look at it," she related, searching through a mixed pile of envelopes, post-it notes, torn-out pages from notebooks and whatnot.

Softly rubbing her left forearm, Mei asked, "Why?"

"It was a poem Papa wrote a week before he passed away," Yuzu recounted casually, still searching for the poem.

"I see. How long has it been since you last read it?" Mei glanced at Yuzu with a soft expression on her lavender eyes.

 _She really has beautiful eyes._

Ignoring the fluttering in her her stomach, Yuzu answered, "Ummm... I guess it's been three years."

 _My heart is beating fast again._

"Here it is!" shouted Yuzu, pulling the letter from the pile and lifting it up. "If you want to, you can read it, Mei," Yuzu said, handing the letter to Mei.

Breathing in, Mei took the letter, "Is that alright with you, Yuzu?"

"Of course!" Yuzu gushed, smiling and nodding to reassure Mei.

The raven haired took the letter and stared at it.

Slipping her hands together, Yuzu admitted, "I have never had the courage to read Papa's poem in three years."

Mei breathed deeply. "Do you want me to read this?" she asked, slightly glancing at the nervous blonde.

"Staring on the floor, Yuzu swung her legs then she turned to look at Mei. "Please," she whispered.

The raven haired cleared her throat then opened the letter. Slowly, she began reading,

 **"I have written you hundreds of love poems**

 **But I never really admitted how terrified I was of love**

 **I couldn't imagine giving my entire heart to someone**

 **I was afraid that I would be crushed if you left**

 **But as I will leave you and Yuzu-chan..."** Mei paused upon noticing Yuzu's reaction.

Although the blonde kept her gaze at the floor, she could barely hide the tear that was forming at the edge of her eye.

"Do you still want me to continue?" Mei whispered, glancing at her left.

"Yes," Yuzu gasped, suppressing the tear.

Silent, Mei turned to look at Yuzu then back at the poem. Skipping two stanzas, she continued,

 **"You're the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me.**

 **I was afraid of love until you came along**

 **Countless of nights I spent asking God about my purpose**

 **Then I saw you and I found my answer...** " she paused, reaching out for Yuzu's cheek.

Yuzu felt Mei's hand gently wiping the tears from the side of her face. She slowly turned until their faces were only inches apart. Their lashes were slowly batting and following the motion of their eyelids. Their eyes were gazing into each other's souls. With every flicker, their skin grew hotter as if being bathed by warm sunlight. Their lips were slightly parted... almost begging to be touched. Their faces came closer and closer. They could feel their warm breaths on their lips. Yuzu's hand found Mei's hair and softly caressed it. Mei's thumb gently brushed Yuzu's cheek. Their hearts were racing wildly against their chests. Neither of them understood what was happening. They were simply getting lost in time.

The distance was closed by a passionate kiss.

Yuzu found herself unable to resist and she leaned back on the bed. Every inch of their resistance was dissolved by their kiss. All Yuzu wanted at that moment was Mei.

Suddenly, Mei broke the kiss. She sat up slowly and looked away. In a strangled voice, she said, "I'm very sorry, Yuzu.

Yuzu wasn't sure how to react. She was torn between looking disappointed or overly enthusiastic.

"It wasn't right, Yuzu," Mei whispered, staring at floor. After gaining some courage, she turned to look at Yuzu. "Let's forget about this."

Yuzu froze and stared at Mei with wide eyes. Mei's words felt like a sharp knife that was cutting Yuzu's heart into two.

* * *

On Monday morning...

"Yuzucchi, are you okay?" Harumin asked, organizing a stack of paper forms.

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired, Harumin," Yuzu answered, looking at the forms Harumin was holding.

"What happened to that glow I saw last week?"

"Glow?"

"Did something happen between you and your lover?" Harumin asked, looking at her checklist and crossing out some items.

 _Did something really happen?_

Yuzu just let out a deep sigh and looked at Harumin sorrowfully.

Placing theforms on her desk, Harumin approached Yuzu and gave her a hug. "Yuzucchi, it's okay," she said.

Yuzu allowed her head to rest on Harumin's chest. "Harumin, let's go watch a horror movie," she blurted.

Harumin immediately let Yuzu go. "No, no, no, Yuzucchi!" she hissed.

Yuzu simply leaned on the desk as if her body didn't have much energy to go through the day.

Harumin sighed audibly. "What am I gonna do with you?"

 _This feeling is killing me. How could I tell Harumin?_

"Yuzucchi!" shouted Harumin.

Startled, Yuzu jumped out of her seat.

"What's that, Harumin?" she exclaimed.

Placing one hand on her hip, Harumin said, "You see, Yuzucchi. My project partner and I are doing a blind dating service for our project."

Yuzu arched her brow. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Yeah, it can be dangerous. So, that's what we're going to solve," Harumin continued, looking at Yuzu.

"Huh? How are you going to do that?" Yuzu said, making an intense eye contact with Harumin.

Harumin turned around and took the stack of forms from her desk. She then turned to look at Yuzu. "This is the solution, Yuzucchi. Every prospect must go through a strict application process," Harumin said, stretching her arms.

"Isn't that too much?" Yuzu said, looking away and rubbing her forearm.

"With this process, we're going to eliminate the bad apples and only keep the good ones, Yuzucchi," Harumin explained, enthusiastically.

Yuzu sat back on her seat and looked out the window. "That's a good idea, Harumin," she said slowly.

Harumin slammed the stack of papers on Yuzu's desk and said, "Yuzucchi, you can be our guinea pig."

Stunned and confused, Yuzu shouted, "Huh?"

Taking the papers back, Harumin slowly turned away. "You seem heartbroken, Yuzu. I don't wanna see you like this," she said.

Sighing, Yuzu whispered, "Okay but I'm not looking for anything serious."

Turning around immediately to look at Yuzu, Harumin gushed, "Did I hear that right?"

Looking away, Yuzu softly said, "Okay."

Harumin reached out for Yuzu and hugged her tightly. The blonde could feel herself turning blue due to lack of oxygen but she had no energy to pull back. Her constant thought on someone and what happened the past weekend drained her energy.

"Yuzucchi, we're going to find you the lover of your dreams," Harumin said excitedly, still hugging Yuzu.

 _Lover of my dreams?_

* * *

At the school ground...

Mei noticed a commotion, an unusual queue of male students. Some were filling out forms and some were talking to Harumin. She also noticed a girl handing out forms to students.

Curious, Mei approached the scene. "Taniguchi-san," she said.

Startled, Harumin slowly turned to her left. "Oh, hi Prez," she greeted nervously.

Mei scanned the area as if she was taking mental notes of her surroundings then she looked at Harumin. "What brought them here, Taniguchi-san?" she asked.

With a pile of filled out forms in her hands, Harumin lifted the papers and answered, "Yeah, Prez, we're testing our business idea."

Intrigued, Mei quickly scanned the top form and read the header out loud. "Blind Dating Service?"

Harumin turned around and searched for her partner. Upon noticing, she quickly ran towards her and grabbed her. "Ayumi-san, help me explain what we're doing," she insisted. Confused, Mei just watched the scene. After a few long seconds, Harumin and Ayumi returned.

"Prez, my project partner and I are looking for prospects," Harumin gasped, turning to look at Ayumi.

"Yes, Harumin's right, President. We're looking for potential dates for Okogi Yuzuko," she said, facing Mei.

Mei began to feel a sudden surge of unfamiliar emotions as if her chest tightened involuntarily. Shutting her eyes, Mei breathed deeply and glowered, "Isn't this a risky idea?"

A little frightened, Ayumi slowly looked away. After gaining a little courage, she turned to face Mei. "Our idea is to remove the possible risks involved in dating," she explained.

"Has it even been approved by the school committee? You could greatly put some students in danger with this idea," Mei cautioned, almost glaring at Ayumi.

Harumin interjected, "Yeah, we got an approval from Uchida-sensei."

"I see. And how would you ELIMINATE THOSE POSSIBLE RISKS?" Mei questioned sternly, raising her voice.

Harumin turned her head to look at the long queue then looked back at Mei. "Prez, all the prospects will go through a strict screening. Yuzucchi is my best friend and I wouldn't do anything to harm her," she reasoned.

"Here, take this, Prez," Harumin said, handing Mei an application form.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Mei rebuked, arching a brow.

"Just take a look at the questions, Prez. They aren't easy to answer. But submitting a form is just the first step. We'll still interview them to see if they have something in common with Yuzucchi," Harumin continued to explain.

Maintaining a calm expression, Mei asked, "Why did Yuzu agree to do this?"

"She hesitated, at first. I just had to convince her and it's not like she's looking for something serious. She's just helping us out," Harumin said.

Mei's fingers clenched, almost crumpling the paper in her hand. "Taniguchi-san, I have an important meeting to attend to. Thank you for your time," Mei said, turning around and leaving the area.

"Right, Prez! See you around," Harumin blurted.

After Mei left the scene, Ayumi took a very deep breath. "Although she's beautiful she can be intimidating," she said.

"Well, we do have a crazy idea, Ayumi-san," soothed Harumin, patting Ayumi's shoulder.

* * *

Walking away, Mei mentally reminded herself to stay calm. She even focused her attention on her breathing to calm her nerves even as she struggled to loosen her clenched fist.

"She's beautiful and fashionable but Yuzu is so stupid," a girl was saying to her friend.

Mei has never entertained the idea of eavesdropping on anyone's conversations but when the girl standing under the tree mentioned 'Yuzu,' all her attention was tune in that direction.

"I like her. She's so friendly and funny," replied the other friend. "You're probably just jealous of her."

"I'm not jealous of Yuzu. Why would I be? She's so dense just like her friend, Harumi Taniguchi.

Mei could feel her anger reach to a different level.

"And her poems are terrible. She's giving the poetry club a very bad name. Quitting might be the best option for her."

"Hey, be nice. She's a newbie," the other friend retorted. "Plus, she's doing her best to fit in.

The raven haired remained still. Although she could feel her blood boiling she tried to focus on her breathing again. She reminded herself that causing a scene was very inappropriate in that situation.

The girl sneered. "Her IQ is so low that you have to dig for it. I wouldn't be surprised if Hitomi would kick her out of our club. But it's not her fault. Some people are naturally dumb."

Somewhat reluctantly, the other friend laughed. Mei could feel red spots flickering in her eyes. She breathed in very deeply to suppress her rage.

"She's just so nice and so cute that people ignore how stupid she really is."

"Shouldn't you be loitering?" Mei interrupted.

The girls felt an extreme shock hit them upon hearing Mei's voice.

"Plus, isn't it unbecoming of a lady to talk about other people behind their back?" Mei scolded. "You should be grateful Yuzu joined your club. If it weren't for her, nobody would know that it even exists. Calling someone stupid is a reflection of your own level of intellectual ability."

The girl turned around and bowed. "I'm very sorry, President. It will never happen again."

* * *

After school...

"Why hasn't Mei texted me back?" Yuzu spoke under her breath while walking down the hall alone.

Harumin was busy with their project so Yuzu had no one to hang out with. Her mind couldn't settle, it was racing back and forth, preoccupied mainly with what happened in her bedroom with Mei. Everything felt right at that moment, Yuzu thought.

Looking at the birds chirping outside, Yuzu kept walking until her eyes met a sign that said 'Student Council Office.' She stopped walking and took a deep breath. The blonde looked down and put her hand in her pocket, contemplating whether to knock on the door or run away. Unable to decide, she just stood still.

Out of nowhere, the door swung open which startled Yuzu.

"Okogi-san, what are you doing here?" asked Himeko who was surprised to see the blonde.

 _I don't know._

"Good afternoon, Momokino-san."

"What brought you here?" Himeko asked again, raising her head to make an eye contact with Yuzu.

Yuzu looked away and stared at the tree that was swinging with the wind. Then she turned to face Himeko. "Umm..." she sighed.

Himeko looked at the blonde expectantly.

"Is Mei around, Momokino-san?" Yuzu said, curling her toes in her shoes.

"She left about thirty minutes ago," Himeko replied.

"Did she tell you where she was going?" Yuzu said softly, looking at the ground.

"How should I know, Okogi-san?" Himeko jabbed.

Sighing, Yuzu turned to her side with a defeated look on her face. "Nevermind, Momokino-san. Thanks anyway," she gasped.

Puzzled, Himeko just watched Yuzu slowly walk away from her. Until something struck her. "Okogi Yuzuko, stop right there!" she shouted.

Yuzu continued to walk down the hallway, ignoring all the voices. Her mind drowned all the external sounds from the other students who were also walking, from the gentle afternoon breeze and from Himeko who just shouted at her to stop.

"Okogi Yuzuko," Himeko yelled again, running towards the blonde. She grabbed Yuzu's bag to make her stop walking. "Stop," she said while catching her breath.

Stopping, Yuzu breathed in heavily and clutched the strap of her book bag. Himeko walked a couple of steps forward then turned to look at Yuzu. "The President left with Masashi earlier," she said, looking straight at Yuzu's eyes.

Unable to think clearly, Yuzu just stood still and made an eye contact with Himeko. Never has she heard the name 'Masashi' before but she knew it was a guy's name.

"Do you know anything about Masashi and the President, Okogi-san?" asked Himeko, embracing her folder with papers.

Yuzu gazed across the hallway then slightly bowed to look at the shorter girl. "I have no idea, Momokino-san," she said.

Brushing the back of her hand with her chin, Himeko questioned, "Do you think that maybe the President and Masashi are dating?"

Yuzu widened her eyes and felt her chest becoming tighter. She bowed her head to the side to hide her eyes which were becoming hotter.

"Okogi Yuzuko, are you alright?" asked Himeko, tilting her head in bewilderment.

Straightening her back and closing her eyes, Yuzu sighed, "Yeah, I am."

Out of nowhere, the students in the hallway turned to look at a familiar figure who was gracefully walking on the other side. She was like a beautiful dove that came gliding from the heavens. Yuzu's heart began to race. From her jet black hair down to her shoes, Yuzu's eyes traced her slender form. Her eyes reminded Yuzu of the beautiful lavender fields in Hokkaido in summer.

"President," exclaimed Himeko.

Mei nodded to acknowledge Himeko and then turned her gaze at the blonde next to her.

A feeling of uncertainty began to well up inside Yuzu as she noticed Mei with someone. He was tall with messy blonde hair and had green eyes. For a moment, she thought, he could be a male version of her.

 _"Could he be Masashi?"_

Mei tried to make an eye contact with Yuzu but then immediately looked away when her gaze was met by Yuzu's. There was a palpable awkward silence happening at that moment.

Rubbing her right forearm with her wrist pointed towards Mei, Yuzu said, "Mei, can we talk for a minute?"

Sighing silently, Mei slowly turned to look at Yuzu. But she wondered why she couldn't respond to the blonde's question right away.

 _Why is Mei just staring at me?_

After an eternity of silence, Mei responded, "I have an important thing to do, Yuzu. I'm sorry." She then looked away from Yuzu to hide a slight vulnerability she felt.

"I see. An important thing? Like a meeting?" Yuzu replied, glancing at the tall guy then back at Mei.

 _Why do I feel this way. Is this jealousy?_

Ticked off, Mei jabbed "If that's how you look at it, then, yes."

Sensing some tension building up between Mei and Yuzu, Himeko interjected, "Okogi Yuzuko, the President has a lot of things on her plate. You can set up an appointment with her if you have something important to say."

"Huh? An appointment?" Yuzu shouted, attracting the attention of everyone around her. Noticing what happened, Yuzu sighed, "Nevermind. I have to go."

Mei casually leaned towards Yuzu's side. "I hope you enjoy your date," she whispered with an undertone of anger in her voice. Then she made her way to the office like nothing happened.

Yuzu froze and stared at the hallway with wide eyes.

 _Why was she angry?_

"Yuzucchi!" Harumin yelled, waving her one hand while holding a folder on her other hand. She ran towards Yuzu. "Yuzucchi, we found a match for you," she exclaimed, presenting Yuzu the folder. "But it's a surprise because it's a blind date, you know," Harumin babbled, pulling back the folder.

Slumping her shoulders slightly, Yuzu hesitantly retorted, "I don't think I can do it, Harumin."

"No, no, no, Yuzucchi. You can't just give up like that. He's a very nice guy and we're 100% sure he wouldn't do anything strange and he understands that you're not looking for anything more than friendship," Harumin said, leaning forward. "We almost had a run-in with the Prez today just for this," she continued, making a steady eye contact with the blonde.

"That's because you have a crazy idea, Taniguchi-san," Himeko interrupted, shaking her head and frowning.

Harumin let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm not in the mood for any type of argument today, Vice Prez," she hissed.

Pressing her left hand, Yuzu asked, "What did Mei say, Harumin?"

"She was unusually mad, at first."

* * *

At the student council office...

"President, I did exactly what you asked me to do," the blonde male student said, handing Mei a sheet of paper.

"Masashi-san, how did it go?" Mei asked, taking the sheet of paper from Masashi.

Bowing his head and quickly brushing a strand of his hair that fell on his forehead, Masashi related, "It was tough, President. They asked me a lot of questions. But I reviewed the notes you made and I passed the interview."

Mei sighed deeply and opened her note.

"So, my schedule for the blind date would be next weekend with Okogi Yuzuko, they said. They were surprised that I had a lot of things in common with Okogi-san," Masashi said, keeping a short distance from Mei.

Turning around, Mei breathed deeply and stared at the note. "Thank you, Masashi-san," she said.

"Of course, I won't go. Umm... President," Masashi hesitated, putting his hand in his pocket. "Can I ask you something?"

Mei slowly turned around and nodded.

"What's the reason behind this?" Masashi asked.

"It's just for some research," Mei answered, raising her head to make an eye contact with Masashi. "We need to make sure that the students are safe."

"Okogi-san is a sweet girl. They interviewed a lot of guys before and after me," he gushed, looking at Mei. "Thanks to the answers you wrote on the note, President, I was able to get through the toughest questions."

Mei looked down then slowly turned away.

* * *

To be continued...

Thank you very much for reading Chapter 5. I'm sorry for not being able to answer some of the questions you left on the story. However, I truly appreciate all your comments and for your taking the time to read the story. 3

Enjoy your weekend.


	7. Chapter 7 - Swan Boat

Chapter 7 - Swan Boat

* * *

Dressed in a pair of high waist jeans and a black peplum top, Mei walked around the park in her black pumps. In contrast to Shinrinyoku Park which is a tourist spot, not a lot of travelers know about Komorebi Park. It is a serene place for anyone who would like to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Mei always had an appreciation for nature.

Walking peacefully and slowly, her eyes relished Komorebi's beautiful scenery from its gorgeous landscape to its lovely foliage to the chirping birds resting on the trees. She remembered being there at least five times prior but every visit evoked a different experience. Walking a few steps more, she found a bench. The rays of sun shining through the leaves of trees adjacent to it, created a kind of magical rhythm between the trees and the leaves. Taking out a book from her bag, she readied herself to sit.

After reading a few pages, she saw someone who was walking slowly through the park's pathway. She noted the girl put on a casual outfit, ripped skinny jeans and a loose fitting top. She thought her shoes made her look taller and confident. Her phone was on her hand as she walked aimlessly.

Mei thought she was insane to ask Masashi a foolish favor. But the thought of Yuzu being with someone else made her heart tighten with bitterness. She caught herself losing the courage she once thought she always had.

Feeling a bit guilty on how irrationally she had acted, she closed her eyes and waited for everything to come to an end.

"Mei!" someone yelled. "What are you doing here?" Yuzu shouted, running towards the raven haired.

Gracefully sliding her fingers through a strand of hair, Mei answered, "I always appreciate going to places like this."

"I never knew that, Mei," Yuzu said, stretching her back and slightly gasping.

Mei could feel a little taint of blush forming on her cheeks. She looked down and stared at her shoes.

"Are you waiting here for someone, Mei?" asked Yuzu, tilting her head.

Silent, Mei thought of the best possible response to Yuzu's statement but her guilt kept her speechless. Raising her head, Mei simply gazed at the blonde. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I find it more peaceful to visit this place alone."

"I see. You have a point, Mei. It's my first time to be here. I thought this place would be crowded but it's not and it's so gorgeous," Yuzu said, scanning the park.

Mei looked away and thought about how she filled out Masashi's form and how she chose this place for the ideal friendly first date.

"Mei, are you okay?" Yuzu asked, trying to make an eye contact with Mei.

Mei kept her gaze away from Yuzu. "Yes... I'm okay," she sighed.

Stretching her arms, Yuzu gushed, "This is so beautiful. Look at the trees! Too bad, the Cherry Blossom season is over."

Mei looked across the river, taking her time to learn by heart the beauty of the place. Her eyes gazed at the swan boats moving slowly on the river.

Noticing Mei's gaze, Yuzu lightly patted Mei's shoulder. "Mei, let's ride a swan boat!" she exclaimed.

Turning her head slightly, she looked at Yuzu and raised an eyebrow. "But we're wearing heels, Yuzu," she jabbed.

"That's not a problem, Mei," Yuzu said, swiftly grabbing Mei's forearm. "Let's find the boat dock. Where could that be?"

Narrowing her lavender eyes, Mei remained seated and looked at Yuzu.

Yuzu immediately let Mei's arm go. "I'm sorry, Mei. I didn't mean to do that," she stammered and looked away.

"I have never had the opportunity to ride one of their boats," Mei said, glancing at Yuzu. "I think that's not a bad idea."

Feeling a bit of heat rush into her cheeks, Yuzu looked down then breathed deeply.

* * *

At the boat dock...

"Okay, Mei, which type of boat do you like? The row boat? The plain paddle boat or..." Yuzu paused, fixing her gaze at something adorable, "or that giant swan boat?"

Subtly touching the tip of her hair, Mei gazed at the swan boat.

"Mei, you like that, too, right?" Yuzu gushed, pointing at the swan boat.

Trying to hide her delight, Mei looked down slightly then nodded.

"Let's go, Mei. Let's buy our tickets!" exclaimed Yuzu, leading Mei towards the vending machine.

 _Huh? 700 Yen per person for 30 minutes?_

Mei noticed a worried expression on Yuzu. "Yuzu, let me pay for our tickets," she offered.

"No, no, Mei, I'll pay for us," urged Yuzu, shaking both of her hands with palms facing at Mei.

"Are you sure, Yuzu?" Mei asked, arching a brow.

"Of course! I'm sure about this, Mei," Yuzu proudly exclaimed. She grabbed their tickets and turned to give Mei a bright and reassuring smile. "Here are our tickets, Mei. Let's give these to the boat operator," she gasped.

"Yuzu, thank you," Mei lowered her voice to almost a soft whisper.

 _Even her voice makes my heart beat fast._

Smiling nervously, Yuzu softly brushed the back of her head. "It's nothing, Mei. Oh there's our guy," she said and hurried to give him their tickets. Looking behind, Yuzu exclaimed, "Let's get in our boat, Mei."

After a few minutes, they were sitting in the boat. The seats were small but could fit them both comfortably.

"How does this work?" Yuzu tried figuring out how to paddle the boat. "I guess, I'll just do it this way," she said, looking at her feet.

Looking at her surrounding, Mei saw a nice couple in their row boat feeding the ducks in the shade. "Yuzu, I think it's better if we take our shoes off. I'll navigate us through the river," she said, steering the wheel to join the couple.

"Mei, look to your right!" Yuzu shouted upon seeing a boat emerging from nowhere.

Mei steered the boat into the opposite direction, trying her best not to crash into another boat. The steering wheel was very hard to move. Yuzu stopped paddling for a moment. The raven haired let out a deep sigh of relief when they successfully avoided what could have been an embarrassing incident.

Yuzu looked up and cried out loud. "Mei, another boat is about to hit us!"

Mei started to steer again and forgot about looking calm and poise. Luckily, the other boat moved to another direction.

Tilting her head back, Yuzu stretched her body to recover from what happened.

 _We were so close!_

"Mei, are you alright?" she asked, glancing at her companion who was focused on steering the wheel.

The raven haired tilted her head on the side. "Yuzu, let's go over there," she said, looking over the ducks.

Delighted, Yuzu crinkled her eyes and nose. "Sure, Mei! I'll start paddling!"

"Oh," Mei sighed, gently stroking the back of her neck."We don't have anything to feed the ducks."

"They sure won't play with us," Yuzu pouted. "I know, we can take a picture of them," she reached out for her phone in her bag.

Positioning her phone to find the perfect angle, Yuzu started snapping photos of the ducks. She then lifted the phone to take pictures of the beautiful Cherry Blossom trees.

Pleased with what she was seeing, the raven haired reached out for her handbag to get her phone. Out of nowhere, a boat crashed into theirs from behind. Mei suddenly fell on Yuzu's lap.

Holding onto her seat, Yuzu repositioned herself. "Mei, are you alright?" she gushed. The blonde could feel her cheeks getting warmer.

"Sorry!" a young couple shouted from behind. "It's our first time to ride a boat!" they blurted.

Yuzu's heartbeat muted the voice of the young couple.

 _Why is this happening?_

The blonde was torn between helping Mei up or staying that way for a few moments more.

Mei propped on Yuzu's lap to help herself up and turned her gaze away. Realizing that she dropped her handbag, she bent down to pick it from the boat's floor. A warm sensation was starting to settle on her cheeks. Yuzu bent down as well to help Mei as she was closer to the handbag. Yuzu grabbed the handbag, first. Before she could have the chance to hand it to Mei, they lifted their heads at the same time. Silently, they stared into each other's eyes, gazing deeply into each other's souls. The temperature on Yuzu's cheeks rose rapidly as every second passed by. They stared and stared until their hands slipped into each other. The blonde's heart jolted at the touch. Though Mei looked away, Yuzu detected a small tinge of blush on her cheeks. Then they let go.

Yuzu wondered if Mei's heart was beating as fast as hers or if she felt anything similar to the warmth of desire that kept fluttering in her belly.

Silent.

"Hi, we're so sorry for bumping into your boat," a guy yelled as their boat slowly moved through the river, overtaking Mei and Yuzu's. "Gosh, you two are gorgeous," the girl gushed, gazing admiringly at Yuzu and Mei in their hollow swan boat. "Have a nice time, you two!" she continued as they paddled on ahead, leaving Yuzu and Mei behind.

"They're very friendly," Yuzu said, breaking the awkward silence in the boat.

Subtly tucking a strand of hair, Mei agreed, "They are."

Unsure of what to do next, Yuzu lifted her phone. "Mei, let's a selfie together," she mumbled. Realizing what she just said, Yuzu mentally kicked herself.

 _Why would you say that? Think about another thing._

Breathing in deeply as if to relish the beauty of the scenery, Mei responded, "I don't mind," then turned her glance at Yuzu.

Yuzu slowly leaned sideways, careful not to come across as overly eager. She glanced slightly at her companion to make sure that they would fit in the frame.

 _Why does she look calm when I'm super nervous?_

Snapped.

* * *

As they were leaving the boat dock, Yuzu saw a cotton candy pop-up shop.

"Look how cute that heart-shaped cotton candy is!" Yuzu gushed, seeing the cotton candy maker spin the treat. "Mei," she exclaimed with an excited tone in her voice upon remembering Mei's story about the bear-shaped cotton candy the raven haired told her. "Let's have some of those," she insisted, gazing admiringly at the shop.

"Yuzu," Mei said, looking down slightly and clutching the strap of her bag. She raised her head to make an eye contact with Yuzu. "Let me pay, this time," she uttered, looking straight into Yuzu's eyes.

Yuzu smiled, crinkling her eyes and nose. "I won't let you do that," she said with a touch of pride in her voice.

Taken aback, Mei stared at Yuzu with wide eyes.

"Let's go, Mei!" Yuzu eagerly ran towards the shop, leaving Mei behind.

Watching Yuzu make her way excitedly to the shop, Mei couldn't help but wonder why she declined her offer. She knew that cotton candies like those could be costly for a high schooler. Not only that, Mei took mental note of the worried expression when Yuzu bought their boat ride tickets.

Glancing behind her, Yuzu smiled and gestured for Mei to follow her. "Mei, they can also make a bear-shaped cotton candy," Yuzu gushed, pointing at the poster.

Walking gracefully towards Yuzu, Mei was stopped by someone.

"Hey, I just want to apologize for bumping into your boat," he said, offering Mei a couple of pink star-shaped balloons. "My girlfriend and I thought about buying you, two, these," he continued, stretching out his hands with the balloons.

Mei hesitantly took the balloons. "Thank you," she said, looking at the guy and glancing at his girlfriend who was waving at them.

"My girlfriend also thinks that you and," the guy paused, pointing an open hand at Yuzu who was busy at the cotton candy shop, "look beautiful together."

Raising an eyebrow, she stared at him.

"That's all!" the guy stammered, turning around and hurried his way towards his girlfriend.

"Mei!" shouted Yuzu, "I'm getting you a bear-shaped cotton candy. Smiling brightly at Mei, she exclaimed, "Oh, those are cute balloons."

Looking at Yuzu, The raven haired stood still for a moment. Then she slowly walked towards the cotton candy shop, holding the two balloons.

"Yuzu," Mei said, handing Yuzu the balloons.

"Let's have one each, Mei," the blonde said, taking just one balloon.

Mei looked away and sighed. "I don't know what to do with it." She could feel a small blush forming on her cheeks out of embarrassment.

Yuzu giggled nervously. "Yeah, it feels awkward to walk around with these balloons," she said, softly scratching the back of her head.

"Nami, look. The balloons are very cute," one of the little girls said, looking at the balloons that the older girls were holding.

Two little girls appeared from nowhere and were gazing adoringly at the pink star-shaped balloons.

"So cute," the shorter girl gushed, tilting her head back.

Mei and Yuzu turned to look at each other then at the little girls. The raven haired bent down slightly and gave her balloon to one of the little girls.

"Ruri! I have a balloon!" the little girl shouted out of joy and jumped up and down.

Bending down, Yuzu handed her balloon to the other girl.

"Yay! I also have one, Nami," the other girl gushed, spinning loosely in her place.

Both of them couldn't contain their happiness and hugged Mei and Yuzu.

"Thank you very much," Ruri and Nami said, bowing at the older pair.

Yuzu bent down on her knees and hugged the little girls.

"Nami-chan! Ruri-chan!" a woman shouted upon spotting the little girls. "I just looked away for a second and you were gone! Don't do that again!," she exclaimed, hugging the girls.

"Mama, we got balloons!" Ruri gushed. "They gave us balloons!" Nami turned around and looked up at Mei and Yuzu.

"I'm sorry for causing you any trouble," the mother said as she bowed.

Waving both of her hands at forearms length, Yuzu replied, "No, no. It wasn't trouble at all."

Straightening her back, the woman insisted, "I'll pay for your cotton candies." She saw the vendor preparing to hand a couple of cotton candies to Yuzu.

Mei hissed, "There's no need to do that. It was our pleasure to give them the balloons."

Without hesitation, the woman handed the vendor a couple of 1000-Yen notes. "Please keep the change," she said and turned to look at Mei and Yuzu. "I insist," she said and turned away.

Before Yuzu could have the opportunity to thank the woman, she walked away with her children.

Yuzu stretched her back and brushed the back of her head with her hand.

"Yuzu," Mei said, pointing at the vendor who was stretching his arm with the cotton candies.

"Oh, yeah!" Yuzu uttered, turning to the vendor and taking the cotton candies. "Thank you very much." She bowed. Then, excitedly, she handed Mei the bear-shaped cotton candy. "Here you go, Mei."

Mei took the cotton candy, concealing a hint of delight from her face. She adored the cotton candy. It reminded her the best days of her childhood. "Thank you," she said, keeping a neutral facial expression.

"I got an idea!" exclaimed the blonde. "Mei, for our competition, I'm thinking that we should give away something for anything that we earn," she related enthusiastically.

Mei tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.

Yuzu reached out for Mei's hand that startled the raven-haired. "I mean, you like social entra..." Yuzu looked down slightly to search for the right word.

"Social entrepreneurship," Mei said, concealing her amusement.

"That's right, Mei! You get to do what you love," Yuzu gushed, still holding Mei's hand. "We can collaborate with other people with the same interests and form a group. Like a club but for business," she continued.

Making a steady eye contact with the blonde, Mei sighed, "That's actually not a bad idea."

Out of happiness, Yuzu swung their arms. "Oh," she muttered upon realizing what was happening and gently let Mei's hand go. "I'm sorry Mei."

Silently, the two began to walk away from the shop. They were like little girls with cotton candies except that Yuzu had become more conscious of the awkward situation. She had never felt that way with anyone - to be lost for words or to blush without warning. As soon as she felt a sudden warmth creep up on her face, she tried to shift all her focus on the cotton candy.

"Tell me more about your idea, Yuzu," Mei said, gliding gracefully while relishing her sweet treat.

Still keeping her focus away from Mei, Yuzu retorted, "I was just thinking that we can have a business for a cause." She then slightly turned and glanced at Mei. "I'm sure you would like that."

"I like it," Mei said, casually glancing at Yuzu.

Yuzu smiled to herself then shifted her gaze at her sweet treat.

"Yuzu, be careful!" exclaimed Mei.

The blonde bumped into the side of a park bench.

A sudden extreme pain took over her consciousness and she felt her world collapse in that embarrassing moment. She clung to the armrest to save her life.

It happened so quickly that she didn't even realize someone was helping her get up.

"Your mom is right," the raven haired said, helping the struggling blonde.

With shallow and rapid breathing, Yuzu sat on the bench. "I'm very sorry, Mei," she gasped, gazing at her companion.

Mei suppressed her amusement by keeping a calm face.

"I know how much you want to laugh right now, Mei," said Yuzu, trying to normalize her breathing.

"Perhaps, just a little," replied Mei, turning her gaze away to hide a hint of amusement.

"Mama's right. I'm clumsy," Yuzu said, gently straightening her back.

Noticing Yuzu's worried expression, Mei stretched her hand to share her cotton candy with the blonde.

Yuzu inhaled the delicious scent of the bear-shaped delight. "This smells delicious. It's different from the one I had," she said. Remembering what happened to hers, she hissed in regret. "Yeah, I dropped my cotton candy."

Mei took a piece of her cotton candy. "You can have this piece," she said, playfully trying to feed Yuzu with it.

Caught off guard, Yuzu's eyes widened. She gulped, then opened her mouth. With a blink, she noticed Mei's stare was getting intense and almost focused on her mouth. Yuzu's heart raced without a warning. Closing her eyes, she took the cotton candy into her mouth. She jolted when she felt a static shock from the sudden contact with Mei's thumb.

"How does it taste like? asked Mei as she swiftly pulled her hand away.

Yuzu softly arched her back and took a deep breath. She slightly turned her head and glanced at Mei. "It was so good, Mei," she said, crinkling her eyes and nose.

"I see," Mei whispered, putting her thumb in her mouth to taste the small traces of cotton candy.

Looking at what Mei was doing, Yuzu could feel her blood rush to her face. As Mei slowly... almost seductively relished every single trace of the sugary treat on her thumb, Yuzu felt the cool afternoon breeze getting slightly warmer. She bit the inner side of her lower lip unconsciously and closed her slightly opened mouth. Trying to slow her breathing, Yuzu took another deep breath. Her heart was pounding hard and fast and her pulse was getting out of whack. Clearing her throat, Yuzu looked down and gently pressed her knees together.

"Indeed, that was good," Mei lowered her voice to a seductive whisper.

They were sitting in a hidden and quiet spot in the park and Yuzu could hear her heart racing like a runaway train.

"Mei, why did you do that?" Yuzu asked in an almost strangled voice while staring at her slightly shaking knees.

"I'm not sure what you're trying to ask me, Yuzu," Mei casually answered, feigning obliviousness.

"You know what I mean." Yuzu lifted her head and turned to look at Mei.

Tilting her head back, Mei parted her lips and gazed at the trees.

"I care about you, Mei." Suddenly, those words slipped out of Yuzu's mouth. Mei was all she had been thinking about, from her midnight black hair to her lavender eyes. And her unrelenting spirit to succeed while doing it with so much grace made Mei the most fascinating person that Yuzu had ever met. But seeing Mei act so irrationally was something she couldn't understand.

Taking a deep breath, Yuzu asked, "Mei, tell me something no one knows about you."

The raven haired slowly turned and began to move her hand.

Yuzu thought for a moment that Mei was about to hold her hand but she just opened it, palm up.

Confused, Yuzu stayed still

 _Should I hold her hand? Does she want me to hold her hand?_

"Yuzu," Mei said softly. "After seeing this, tell me honestly, if you still feel that way."

Puzzled, the blonde tilted her head and narrowed her eyes.

"Hold my hand and trace circles on my palm," Mei instructed in an alluring voice.

"Mei?" Yuzu furrowed her brow.

The raven haired just nodded, fixing her gaze at the trees dancing in the wind in front of them.

Yuzu placed her left hand under Mei's open hand. With her right hand, she slowly began tracing circles on Mei's palm in a counter clockwise motion. With every trace, Mei's fingers slightly trembled. Looking up through her lashes, Yuzu saw a different Mei - a girl who could barely restrain her desire.

 _Is this turning her on?_

Yuzu continued tracing round circles on Mei's palm. She detected a little tinge of blush forming on Mei's cheek and her hand getting mildly warmer. She stopped when Mei took a deep breath. When she began to touch her hand again, Mei slightly twitched and pressed her legs together.

Watching Mei so vulnerable and open - a side, Yuzu thought she had probably never shown anyone, she started to feel her body getting warmer and warmer.

Both began to get lost in their own world. As Yuzu's touches and motions amplified and even stretched to her forearm, Mei found herself unable to sit still. The raven haired bit her lip to refrain any pleasurable sound to escape from her mouth and she let her cotton candy fall from her hand. She began caressing the back of her neck gently... subtly.

All of a sudden, everything got warmer and relaxed, yet intense.

"That's something no one knows about me," Mei whispered as she opened her eyes.

Hearing Mei's sultry voice, Yuzu snapped back to the real world.

"They always tend to think the best of me or how blessed I am. And I don't want to disappoint them." Mei's voice suddenly choked with emotion as she spoke the words. "But the truth is... I'm flawed, twisted and I know deep down, I'm damaged," she said, blinking back tears. "Yuzu, now that you've seen that. I understand if you never want to associate with me again."

Yuzu slipped her fingers into Mei's hand and pressed it to stop her from shaking. "Mei," Yuzu gasped. "We're all flawed and damaged. Some people conceal those parts better than others. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

* * *

At the locker room...

"Yuzucchi!" Harumin shouted as soon as she spotted her best friend. Everyone turned to look at her. She carelessly ran towards Yuzu. "How was your friendly date?" she asked while hugging the life out of Yuzu.

Struggling to breathe, Yuzu spoke in a constricted voice. "Harumin, please let go."

"I'm sorry, Yuzucchi. I'm just so excited," she said, removing her arms swiftly.

Yuzu breathed in as much air she could to fill in her lungs. "Harumin," she sighed. "You have a nice idea."

Harumin hummed a tune out of pride and moved her body to a rhythm in her head. "Told ya!" she exclaimed. "Did you like your date?"

Yuzu felt a sudden heat rush to her cheeks. She looked down to her side. In an almost inaudible voice, she answered, "It was great."

Harumin threw a fist in the air and continued to move her body to the tune she was making. "So, I guess, we have a chance to beat you and the Prez in the competition!" she exclaimed.

The blonde opened her locker and narrowed her eyes.

"What's wrong, Yuzucchi?" Harumin asked, creasing her brow at Yuzu's sudden stillness.

Yuzu took an orange post-it note from her locker.

 _I think I know whom this is from._

"Wow, someone slipped you a note. It's from your date, right?" Harumin asked, spinning loosely from her position. "Yuzucchi," Harumin said, leaning closer. "Did you guys kiss or hold hands?" she whispered.

Yuzu looked down and away.

"You're blushing, Yuzucchi!" Harumin teased, playfully waggling her eyebrows.

Turning away from Harumin, Yuzu mentally read the note. "I don't know how this works. I just wanted to thank you for yesterday," it said.

Yuzu parted her lips slightly then smiled to herself. She took one last look of the note before putting it in her bag pocket.

"Who slipped that, Yuzucchi?" Harumin asked, nudging Yuzu. "It's from your date!" she teased.

"Aren't we gonna be late for our homeroom class, Harumin?" Yuzu retorted, casually checking the clock and tapping her foot.

"Yuzucchi wants to change the topic, huh?" Harumin said and gave Yuzu a slight close-lipped smile.

Yuzu turned away and closed her locker. Her mind spiraled into the special and clandestine moment she shared with Mei in the park. Her vulnerability, her openness, and weakness made her even more fascinating to Yuzu.

"Mei," Yuzu sighed that made Harumin raise an eyebrow. "I meant, hey, let's go to class, Harumin," she said, scratching the back of her head and giggling.

"I thought, I heard something else," Harumin quipped. "Yuzucchi, wouldn't it be great if you replied by writing a note, too?"

Pointing her feet inwards, Yuzu smiled and felt her cheeks getting warmer. Then she looked into Harumin's eyes. "That's a nice idea, Harumin."

"See, I think I was born to give great ideas!" Harumin chuckled, fumbling in her bag for something. "You're lucky I have some post-it notes, Yuzucchi," she said, handing Yuzu a pad of multicolored post-it notes.

Yuzu somewhat reluctantly took the pad and leaned back against her locker door. She closed her eyes and her mind drifted into her idea of paradise. Scents of amber and lavender with a spritz of orange blossom flooded her mind. She started to feel heat rising up into her face. Yuzu had ever only known one person who smelled that good or who could make her heart beat fast without any warning or who could make her blush in any situation. She bit her lower lip.

 _I'm being silly._

She took a deep breath and searched for a pen in her bag.

"Here you go, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, handing Yuzu a pen. "You're predictable. Besides, did you put too much blush today?" she asked, creasing her brow.

Yuzu grabbed the pen and looked away swiftly. "Isn't this a dumb idea, Harumin?" Yuzu asked as she hesitantly tried to put her thoughts on the post-it note.

Harumin slumped her shoulders. "Yuzucchi, how could you say that? Earlier you thought it was a nice idea!"

Yuzu stared at the blank note. She was being foolish, she thought. Tell her she cared about her? She pondered but those words had already slipped out of her mouth. Tell her she loved her? She was rather being insane.

"What should I say, Harumin?"

"Tell him how much you adore and admire him," Harumin said, placing her hand on her heart.

"Yeah. Right."

 _Mei would more likely back away and be embarrassed to see me again. Why am I even thinking that she could be interested in a clumsy and foolish person like me?_

"Crap," Yuzu muttered when she realized how intensely she was staring at the blank post-it note. She loosened her clutch on the pen. Clearing her throat, she arched her back. "I guess... it's too early to say what you suggested, Harumin. I just want to... say 'thank you' back... or maybe say something about..." Yuzu paused and let out a deep sigh,"I just never expected to get a note, that's all."

Harumin laughed. "Write down exactly how you feel," she teased then politely left Yuzu alone to talk to Ayumi about their project.

"What should I write?" Yuzu whispered to herself. She closed her eyes and leaned against the locker door. She tilted her head back, almost banging slightly until Harumin's words marinated in her mind. "Write down exactly how I feel," she whispered. With unblinking focus, Yuzu began to write.

She breathed in deeply after she was finished. Putting the pad close to her heart, Yuzu gave herself a proud smile. Then she tore the page from the pad and folded it in half. Her body suddenly turned to the direction of Mei's locker.

 _This is it. There's no turning back._

Staring at Mei's locker, Yuzu's heart raced like an airplane taking off, it went faster and faster. There was nothing holding her back but her feet felt heavier as each second passed. Yuzu was aware that it was something worth taking a risk for. Slowly and almost painfully, she lifted one foot after another.

Clasping her hands over her head, Yuzu took a deep breath. Releasing her clasped hands, she looked down to gain more courage then finally inserted the post-it note in Mei's locker. Then she turned around swiftly and ran away to the nearest corner. Gasping, she looked back one more time and smiled to herself.

Yuzu suddenly straightened her back when she heard a noise from a group of students. She stared at the entrance and saw Harumin making her way back inside.

"Yuzucchi, are you done writing?" Harumin shouted causing the blonde to cover her eyes with one hand.

Yuzu stayed that way until Harumin playfully pulled her hand away to uncover her face.

Harumin placed the back of her hand against Yuzu's forehead then down to her neck. "Do you have a fever, Yuzucchi? Your face is red," she said, tilting her head.

Yuzu moved Harumin's hand away. "I don't... I just," she paused. Her attention was suddenly caught by a student who just entered the locker room. Speechless, her eyes followed every movement of that student until she heard a sound of a locker door opening. Her eyes narrowed and she was torn between running away from the area or explaining herself.

The student scanned her locker then finally pulled a book out. Slightly, she lowered her gaze and saw a pink post-it note. Turning to her right, she saw from a short distance a blonde who was looking down and away. Hoping to catch a glimpse of the blonde's face, she kept her focus in her direction.

 _This feels so embarrassing._

"Yuzucchi, what is wrong with you?" Harumin asked, giving her a shoulder nudge. "We should go see a nurse. You're not feeling well."

"Good morning, Taniguchi-san," Mei said.

Harumin slowly turned to look at Mei. "Hi, Prez," she said, gently brushing the back of her head.

"I apologize for how I reacted at the school ground," she continued, slightly bowing at Harumin.

Yuzu kept her gaze away and stepped back a little. Her heart was racing wildly and it kept pumping a rush of blood into her face.

"I totally understand, Prez! Yeah, I got your point. I mean, you were just concerned," Harumin blurted.

Mei turned her gaze at Yuzu who was still looking away. "Thank you for your understanding, Taniguchi-san."

"No worries, Prez!" Harumin said, slightly patting Yuzu's shoulder.

"Yuzu."

Yuzu's stomach fluttered uncontrollably upon hearing her name uttered by Mei. At that moment, lifting her head and making an eye contact with the raven haired felt like a hard labor. She kept her focus on the small window on the wall.

Harumin playfully hit Yuzu's arm. "Yuzucchi, there's something wrong with you," Harumin said worriedly. She then turned to look at Mei. "Prez, I think Yuzucchi isn't feeling well."

Mei lifted her arm and placed the back of her hand against Yuzu's forehead.

Shocked, Yuzu jolted and widened her eyes.

"Yuzu, are you having a fever? You feel a little hot," Mei said, leaning slightly towards Yuzu.

Having trouble facing Mei. Yuzu remained still. "Yeah. I'm okay," she said almost whispering.

"See, Yuzucchi. Even the Prez thinks you're not doing okay," Harumin interjected, looking intensely at Yuzu.

Every cell in Yuzu's body was getting more and more sensitive as Mei kept feeling her forehead. Before Yuzu knew it, Mei lowered her hand against her neck, causing the blonde to slightly tremble unwillingly.

Mei pulled her hand softly.

"What did you do on your date, Yuzucchi?" Harumin inquired, keeping her gaze at Yuzu.

Yuzu turned around and made an eye contact with Mei.

"Yuzu, could you drop by the Student Council office at noon?" Mei lowered her voice to an almost alluring sound. "We should discuss about our project."

* * *

To be continued...

I sincerely thank you for reading this story and for everything. It's very humbling to read all your comments. I apologize for the long wait. Honestly, I always get scared to post a story update but reading your comments and reviews and the support that you show give me the courage that I need. I love you. 3


	8. Chapter 8 - Cupid

Chapter 8: Cupid

* * *

Unable to utter a word and having trouble making an eye contact, Yuzu just nodded.

 _What is wrong with me? Why am I behaving so strange?_

"I better get going now," Mei said, turning around and leaving Yuzu and Harumin behind.

Yuzu grabbed Mei's arm, suddenly.

Mei glanced over her shoulder with a stern expression. "Yes?"

Realizing what she did, Yuzu immediately let go of her arm. "Nothing," she said, finally smiling at Mei. "I'll see you later, Mei."

* * *

In class...

"Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centers." The teacher lectured, looking across the classroom.

"It also helps regulate movement and emotional responses, and it enables us not only to see rewards, but to take action to move toward them," he

continued, moving slowly in front of the class.

"It is the most popular hormone. One can say that it's the Taylor Swift of neurotransmitters." He darted his gaze at one of the students sitting at the back.

"Nakata Toshiro, step in front of the class," he commanded when he noticed Toshi dozing off in class.

Startled, Toshi stood up immediately and narrowed his eyes.

"Could you tell us what Dopamine is? Is it addiction? Lust? Attention? Or motivation? Or is it love?" the teacher asked with his chin up.

Unable to answer, Toshi looked down to hide his embarrassment and scratched his head. He then lifted his head and looked at the teacher. "I'm sorry, Ozora-sensei."

"I thought so," Ozora-sensei responded, giving Toshi a black look. Walking slowly, he noticed Yuzu was staring intensely at him. "Okogi Yuzuko."

"Yes!" Yuzu shouted in response, almost jumping out of her seat.

"What is Dopamine to you?" asked Ozora-sensei, slowly approaching the blonde.

Yuzu slightly looked down and cleared her throat.

"In other words, Okogi-san, do you think it's love or lust?" the teacher inquired, looking at Yuzu.

Yuzu bowed her head, pressing her hands together. "It's overrated," she said softly, almost whispering to herself.

Ozora-sensei breathed in and scanned the room then turned to look at Yuzu again. "I'm impressed, Okogi-san. You're getting clever."

The blonde didn't exactly know how to react. Should she take it as a compliment or as something else? She pondered.

The teacher looked away. "Dopamine is overrated but it's responsible for making people crazy when they're in love. It makes them feel excited, euphoric, blissful, and even addicted," he explained, making gestures enthusiastically.

"Now, I want you to write a story about this sinful neurotransmitter. It's a 2000-word assignment, alright? Use the questions I asked Toshi as your guide. Make it compelling. Be creative. Use your experience. How did it feel like the first time you fell in love or had a crush?" Ozora-sensei exclaimed, creasing his brows and constantly moving his arms to get his point across.

"But Toshi has never fallen in love!" mocked Aki, one of the students.

The silence turned into laughter.

"It's not my problem. Ask one of your parents, Toshi," Ozora-sensei quipped, causing the entire class to roar with laughter.

"Ask Okogi-san!" shouted one of the classmates.

Feeling a bit of heat rushing into her cheeks, Yuzu covered her face.

"Leave Okogi-san alone. Go find your own experience," Ozora-sensei joked.

Harumin turned to face Yuzu. "Yuzucchi, you look all red," she gasped with a worried expression on her face.

"I'll make this more exciting." Ozora-sensei emphasized, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. "The best entry shall win an exceptional prize and a special recommendation letter from me for your university application." He moved his gaze from aisle to aisle. The prize shall remain a mystery for now."

The bell suddenly rang.

"That's all for today, class! Have fun writing!"

After the teacher left the room, some of the students gathered into groups and some were fixing their desks.

"Yuzucchi, you're meeting with the Prez, right?" Harumin asked, tidying up her desk.

Yuzu hurriedly cleaned her desk. "Thanks, Harumin. I almost forgot about it."

 _Liar._

"Now, you better hurry. I'll see you later, Yuzucchi." Harumin gestured for Yuzu to leave the room.

Stepping forward, Yuzu wrapped her arms around Harumin. "You're the best, Harumin!"

The blonde hurried out the classroom.

* * *

Standing in front of the Student Council Office, Yuzu breathed in deeply. She clutched the strap of her bookbag to gain some courage to knock on the door.

 _This should be easy. Knocking isn't hard, is it?_

She loosened her grip from the bag and stretched her arm.

Taking another deep breath, she positioned her hand closer to the door then finally knocked on it.

One. Two. Three.

She stepped back.

 _Is Mei even here?_

She curled her toes as she waited. For a moment, nothing happened, so she stepped forward again and readied herself to knock.

Unexpectedly, the door creaked open.

Yuzu stood there like a dear caught in the headlights.

"Yuzu, please come in." Mei opened the door widely and made a gesture for the wide-eyed blonde to get inside.

Putting her hand at the back of her head, Yuzu smiled anxiously. "It's nice to see you again, Mei," she said, walking slowly inside. "This office looks amazing!"

"This was redesigned a year ago. It's fairly new. I wanted the office to have a great view," Mei said, leading Yuzu to a gorgeous white round table.

"This set looks really beautiful," Yuzu gushed, pulling a chair and looking around. "This office looks something that only belongs to an architectural magazine. It feels really fancy," Yuzu said, chuckling as her eyes bathed in a stream of elegance from the room's ambience.

"I have to agree with you on that. It seems that they overdid it a bit," Mei said, turning her tablet device on.

Yuzu gazed across the room. Her eyes scanned every direction, from the painting on the wall, to the gorgeous lamp shade, to the beautiful curtains covering the glass window. "It has great energy, too, Mei," Yuzu sighed.

"I'm slightly particular with the atmosphere of my environment," Mei said, slowly moving toward the round table where Yuzu was.

Suddenly, Yuzu pulled a chair for Mei.

 _That was fast._

The blonde then looked down and away.

"Yuzu, when we were at the park, you mentioned something related to social entrepreneurship," Mei said, readying herself to sit. "I thought that was a great idea."

Yuzu felt a slight rush of heat into her neck and making its way to her cheeks. "Thanks, Mei," she murmured, staring at the center of the table.

"I thought you might also like what I have come up with. This will work well with your idea," Mei explained, tapping on her tablet screen. "Take a look at this," she said, sharing the screen with Yuzu.

Yuzu fixed her gaze at the screen. She read every sentence carefully and admired the images. "Mei, you've put so much thought on this and..." she said, pausing, slowly turning her head to make an eye contact with Mei. "I don't like it!

Confused, Mei tilted her head.

"I love it!" Yuzu declared, clapping her hands. "It's great! We're going to do business for a cause! It's what you love and I love it, too!"

Mei hesitated. She remained silent for a moment. Then she continued to explain while looking at the device. "This way, we'll give away a portion of what we earn, automatically."

"I'm very lucky you're my partner!" Yuzu gushed, glancing at Mei.

 _What? What did I just say again?_

Yuzu looked away immediately upon realizing what she said. "I didn't mean anything like that, Mei... I just thought you're very smart and..." she stammered.

Mei slowly turned to her side and looked at the blushing blonde. "I understand, Yuzu."

Unable to make an eye contact, Yuzu fumbled for something or for anything in her bag just to shake off some embarrassment from her body. She pulled out a notebook and opened it.

"Do you have an important thing to do, Yuzu?" Mei asked, arching her brow and turning to look at the blonde.

Staring at her most recent note, Yuzu hissed, "Dopamine!"

 _Act normal, Yuzu._

"We have a story to write about Dopamine," she explained, struggling to look into Mei's eyes.

"Interesting. What will you write about?" Mei asked, looking straight into Yuzu's eyes.

 _How am I going to explain this?_

Fidgeting, Yuzu looked down and stared at her note. "Ozora-sensei asked us to write a 2000-word story about Dopamine and..." she hesitated.

"I see. He's notorious for that." Mei slightly tilted her head back.

"But I never wrote a story about anything before" she paused, lowering her voice to a whisper, "so I find it really difficult."

The raven-haired sighed and put her tablet away. "Have you chosen what to write about?" she asked.

"I'm not sure what Dopamine is. I don't know if it's love, lust, addiction, or motivation," Yuzu answered, almost whispering to herself. Her voice had an undertone of defeat.

Mei noted a defeated look on Yuzu. "Write something you know about."

"Write something I know about?" Yuzu spoke almost inaudibly.

"That's the only way you can make your story believable. Ozora-sensei is very hard to please. If you want to make him proud, make your story compelling." Mei said, turning her gaze away and grabbed the device.

"That's what he said, too." Yuzu retorted, watching Mei swipe the screen. "Now, I have an idea. I'll write about a girl with a power like Cupid."

Mei could not believe what she just heard. Reluctantly, she responded, "And how are you going to make that work?"

"She's so busy trying to make everyone fall in love that she's forgetting about herself." Yuzu slumped her shoulders.

Mei glanced at Yuzu. "Interesting. And then what?" she asked, sternly.

"One day, she meets a person who will make her aware of what she's missing."

Sighing deeply, Mei hesitated to give a response.

"Her soul will recognize that person who will eventually capture her heart forever." Yuzu said with all conviction.

Tapping her foot, Mei looked at Yuzu and squinted her eyes. "I'll give you a failing mark for that."

Yuzu crinkled her nose in disbelief. "Why? Is it that bad?"

"That's chaos waiting to happen," she sneered then tilted her head. "Tell me more about it."

Bewildered, Yuzu looked at Mei then stared back at the writing on her notebook. "She'll have to choose between being a Cupid or being with the one she loves. She can't have both."

"Now, you have a good story. What will she choose?" Mei's attention was tuned in to Yuzu's direction.

Yuzu hesitated and kept her gaze at the notebook. She folded the page into half. "Not sure. Her love interest doesn't even know she exists."

"I see," Mei whispered and placed her hand on her lap.

"She'll blame Dopamine for that, for making her all confused," Yuzu continued, writing down notes.

"But Dopamine isn't the only hormone responsible for changing her brain chemistry when she falls in love," Mei said, looking at Yuzu.

Yuzu stopped writing. "Huh? Mei, so I need a really good story line? What are the other hormones?"

"Will your main character be envious?"

"That might be possible, Mei."

"She can blame that on Oxytocin. This hormone will actually cause her to always want to be closer with her love interest."

 _This story is getting romantic._

"You're very good at this, Mei. Please go on," Yuzu said as she continued to take down notes.

"When your character feels anxious, jittery, and with an uncontrollable fluttering on her stomach, she can point her finger at Serotonin. This hormone makes her a little obsessive."

"A little obsessive? That can be a problem." Yuzu tilted her head. "What's next, Mei?" she asked, looking at Mei.

"Yuzu, when she sees the object of her desire, her heart races without notice.

"And she can't sleep for hours at night thinking about that person." Yuzu continued to write on her notebook.

"Adrenaline and Norepinephrine are responsible for making her feel that way and for her sleepless nights." Mei said, looking at the busy blonde.

Yuzu turned to face Mei.

 _Her lashes are so beautiful._

"Yuzu, then the frontal cortex shuts down," Mei lowered her voice into a whisper. "This is very dangerous."

"Why?" Yuzu asked, unconsciously leaning forward.

"Your character will be willing to risk anything for her love interest because her judgment centers are not functioning well," Mei explained, making an eye contact with Yuzu.

"That's a big problem." Yuzu said, tilting her head unconsciously and looking at Mei with half-lidded eyes. She was leaning in closer out of her own will.

"You're getting too close, Yuzu," Mei said nonchalantly.

Snapping out of the trance-like state, Yuzu hissed, "I'm sorry, Mei." Embarrassed, she covered her eyes and leaned back in her seat.

 _Why did I do that?_

"If she survives the early stages, she proceeds to the next stage that is less dramatic and dangerous," Mei said, purposely ignoring what just happened.

"That sounds better." Yuzu spoke under her breath. "What hormone will she thank that for?"

"Oxytocin, again. It's released when your characters," Mei said, pausing, looking at Yuzu, capturing her gaze all of a sudden.

They drew each other closer with their gazes. Yuzu unconsciously parted her lips and her eyes studied Mei's face up close, taking notes on the movement of her eyes. Even if she looked at Mei several times before, Yuzu's heart never stopped beating faster whenever Mei would fix her gaze at her.

"When my characters?" Yuzu asked, whispering.

Mei placed her hand on Yuzu's shoulder. The blonde remained still and waited for Mei to release her hand.

When she let go, an invisible force instantly pulled them closer together. Then they kissed. Mei didn't even dare to pull back. The kiss felt so fresh as if it was a brand new beginning.

Neither refused to break the kiss or even to stop to catch some air until they were both left entirely breathless. The kiss evoked new sensations they had never known before.

Then they heard a sound coming from the door.

"Some students really lack discipline." Himeko complained to herself as she slowly walked inside the office. She looked at her watch then across the room. "Okogi Yuzu, why are you here?" she asked, looking at the blonde who was mindlessly scanning some books on the shelf.

"Hi, Momokino-san," Yuzu said, slowly turning her head to look at Himeko.

"You didn't answer my question, Okogi Yuzu. You're not allowed to be here," Himeko said, squinting her eyes and clenching her jaw.

 _Mei, don't leave me here._

"I, um..." Yuzu answered, softly rubbing the back of her neck.

Lowering her eyebrows, Himeko pointed a finger at Yuzu. "Okogi..." she paused and narrowed her eyes. "President, a pleasant afternoon," she said, straightening her back and crinkling her eyes.

"Good afternoon, Himeko." The raven-haired greeted as she slowly emerged from somewhere.

Himeko rushed toward Mei and presented her a folder. "President, here are the results of the inspections we did today," she exclaimed, opening the folder.

Before looking at the document, Mei glanced at Yuzu almost longingly as if every blink conveyed the message her mouth couldn't utter and her lashes filtered the light from her soul. Yuzu's green eyes responded implicitly. In their open gaze, there was a profound understanding between them that didn't need any words.

"Okogi Yuzu, don't you have more productive things to do?" Himeko quipped, placing her hand on her hip.

"Himeko, I asked Yuzu to meet with me today," Mei said raising her voice, almost telling Himeko off.

"Oh, I apologize, President." Himeko looked away.

"Hey, Momokino-san. Don't worry. I'm about to leave," Yuzu reassured when she detected an embarrassed look on Himeko.

"Yuzu." Mei spoke with an almost unnoticeable shiver on her voice.

Yuzu moved toward the raven-haired. "Thank you for helping me out," she said, bowing slightly. Her heart was beating crazily along with her racing thoughts but Yuzu needed to stay calm to soothe Mei's nerves.

"Good luck on your story," Mei said, sternly.

Raising her head, she looked at Mei one last time. "Thank you, Mei," she said, straightening the front of her uniform.

"Okogi Yuzu, what are you writing about?" Himeko asked with an expectant look on her face.

"Hormones," Yuzu hissed, putting one hand in her pocket.

"I can help you with that," Himeko said with her chin up and chest out. "It's a piece of cake."

"Thanks, Momokino-san, but I don't wanna trouble you at all," Yuzu retorted, slowly turning around and getting ready to leave. "But thank you, really," she said, smiling at Himeko over her shoulder.

"How can you possibly turn my offer down?" Himeko said with a slight frown.

"You already have a lot of things on your plate, Momokino-san," Yuzu blurted. Glancing over at Mei, she smiled with her eyes then slowly exited the room.

As she closed the door, Yuzu clutched her chest and felt her heart beat like a runaway train. Her knees wobbled like noodles and she held the doorknob for support. She felt an unusual combination of strength and weakness.

 _I wonder if Mei feels this way, too._

"Okogi-san, are you okay?" a student asked when she saw Yuzu struggle to balance herself.

Yuzu looked at the student and gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you," she said, slightly bowing.

"Let me help you," the student said as she moved toward Yuzu.

"Thank you very much," Yuzu sighed as she allowed the girl to help her.

"Your knees are slightly shaking, Okogi-san," the student said, looking down and creasing her brow.

"But I'll be fine. Thank you so much." Yuzu arched her back and took a deep breath.

"Alright. So I have to get going, Okogi-san. Don't wear yourself out," she yelled, waving her hand while walking away.

 _I didn't wear myself out!_

Yuzu could feel her knees gaining strength to stand on their own. She sighed again, trying to bring herself back to her senses. No matter how many times she breathed in, the warm sensation that settled in her stomach wasn't cooling down. Even if she mentally scolded her heart to slow its beating, it just kept going faster.

Putting her hand close to her chest, Yuzu began walking, slowly... almost painfully. She knew the kiss she shared with Mei at the office wasn't just a simple kiss, it meant deeper than that but she just couldn't figure out exactly what it was.

"Yuzu," Mei called out looking at the blonde's direction.

Shocked, Yuzu stopped walking and placed her hand over her mouth. Not knowing what to do next, she stared at the hallway.

"Yuzu," Mei softened her voice to a tone that only Yuzu could hear. She moved toward Yuzu until she was just a step ahead and turned gracefully to be face-to-face with her.

Unable to utter a word, Yuzu placed her hand down and gazed into Mei's eyes. Those lavenders were radiating softness and vulnerability that Yuzu had never seen before.

"I just..." Mei said, pausing and gazing back into Yuzu's eyes.

Seeing Mei being so vulnerable in broad daylight, Yuzu wanted to wrap her arms around her. She wanted to caress her cheek to let her know that everything would be okay. She wanted to whisper sweet nothings in her ear. Most of all, she wanted to kiss her again. But she had to hold back. Such affections would be frowned upon by passersby. "Mei, don't worry too much," Yuzu soothed, trying to calm the anxious raven-haired.

Mei looked down slightly and closed her eyes. She could feel a lump forming on her throat. Her heart beat faster and faster. Opening her eyes slowly, she raised her head and made an eye contact with Yuzu. "The kiss," she said, whispering.

Hearing Mei's words, Yuzu clenched her fist as if fighting her urge to touch her. "Mei," was all she could utter.

Maintaining an eye contact, Mei breathed deeply.

Clutching the strap of her bag and curling her toes in her shoes, Yuzu struggled to keep even a short distance from Mei. "I'll see you around, Mei," she softly said almost whispering.

Mei gently nodded in agreement while maintaining an eye contact.

For a moment, their eyes gazed openly and widely and in that instant nothing was hidden and their souls became completely open to be read. It was crystal clear that they had both realized a strong feeling of wanting to be with each other but their minds struggled to make sense of everything leaving them both lost for the right words.

Mei broke off the eye contact.

 _Her eyes..._

Then the raven-haired slowly walked away and Yuzu walked in the opposite direction, making firm and precise movements.

* * *

"Yuzucchi, I had Katsudon for lunch," Harumin related, grinning. "What did you have for lunch?"

With a tight-lipped smile, Yuzu nodded sideways.

"Does that mean you didn't have anything yet? Harumin asked, raising an eyebrow. "But why do you look happy about it?"

Yuzu looked away from Harumin and fixed her gaze at the bright blue sky. She tilted her head and played with her hair.

Suspicious, Harumin moved closer and observed the blonde. "Yuzucchi, you're in love, aren't you?" Harumin asked, scanning Yuzu's face with her overly inquisitive eyes.

"Why did she do that?" a classmate shouted in the room, almost banging his head on the desk.

A handful of students including Yuzu and Harumin curiously turned their heads to look at their distraught classmate.

"Oh yeah, Satoshi-san confessed his feelings to Yukari-san just earlier when you were gone, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "But the girl turned him down.

"What?!" exclaimed Yuzu, suddenly standing from her seat. "But they have great chemistry together," she said in a soft whisper this time.

"Everyone was rooting for them but I guess, no one really knows what will happen unless you confess," Harumin said casually, looking at Satoshi from a short distance.

Sitting back on her chair, Yuzu stared into space.

 _What will happen if I confess my true feelings? Will Mei accept them?_

"I'm losing you again, Yuzucchi. You're drifting into space again," Harumin said, crossing her arms while staring at her best friend.

"I just thought that they would end up together. How they looked at each other or talked to each other, I thought they were perfect together." Yuzu sat heavily on her chair.

"Girls are unpredictable," Harumin commented, arms slightly stretched out with her palms facing upward.

"I feel sad for Satoshi-san," Yuzu mumbled, rubbing her forearm.

"No matter how hard we try, sometimes, things just don't go our way. There must be a reason for that," Harumin spoke softly.

Yuzu chuckled. "That's deep, Harumin."

"Deep, huh?" Harumin stretched out her arms and wiggled her fingers.

"No, Harumin." Yuzu almost curled into a fetal position.

Harumin gave out her most evil laugh before attacking Yuzu with tickles.

"Stop it, Harumin!" Yuzu cried between twitches and involuntary laughter.

"Yuzu, your phone is ringing," Harumin said, pulling her arms back.

The blonde remained seated until her breathing normalized. Slightly gasping, she fumbled for her phone in her bag.

 _Why is Kenji calling me?_

She took a deep breath before answering the call.

 **"Hello?"**

 **"Buon Pomeriggio."**

 **"Huh?"**

 **"Okogi Yuzu, my good friend. I owe you a big favor and I haven't done anything to repay you. My business partner has a resort in Okinawa. Don't you just love it when you get a little break from school?"**

 **"What do you mean, Kenji?"**

 **"Yuzu, Yuzu, invite a friend of yours for a little trip to Okinawa, all expenses paid. You badly need a vacation, don't you?"**

Tilting her head back, Yuzu remained silent.

 **"You will love it there, Yuzu. Imagine walking at a slower pace while your feet sink in the white sand. Magnifico!"**

Parting her lips slightly, Yuzu's mind spiraled into the image Kenji was painting in her mind.

 **"The beach shore stretches for miles. You can watch the colorful fishes in the crystal clear water slightly tainted by the blue sky during the day. Oh, and the sunsets... there are just no words to describe them."**

Closing her eyes, Yuzu lingered on the colors of the sunset with dark lavender blending perfectly with pink and blue... they were beyond beautiful.

 **"Okinawa is one of Mei's most favorite places. It will not be tough to convince her to go on that trip."**

Yuzu opened her eyes and leaned back on her seat.

 **"You can invite a friend, Yuzu. I'm very sorry for what happened. I hope this will make it up to you. I'll send you some photos of the resort and its availability. Just let me know within this month so I can arrange everything for you."**

Softly placing a finger over her lips, Yuzu asked, **"Kenji, do you think Mei will go on this trip?"**

 **"Absolutely! Okinawa is a paradise for her."**

 **Glancing at Harumin who was pretending to be busy with something, Yuzu said, "I'll invite my best friend."**

 **"That's wonderful, Yuzu! I have to go back to the restaurant now."**

 **"Thanks, Kenji."**

"You'll invite me to what? Where?" Harumin asked, furrowing her brow.

Yuzu straightened the front of her uniform and stood up. Leaning in closely towards Harumin, Yuzu whispered, "We're going to Okinawa."

Shocked, Harumin placed both hands over her mouth.

"Harumin, are you okay?" Yuzu gently shoved her best friend.

"Yuzucchi," Harumin cried, wrapping her arms tightly around the blonde. "I always wanted to travel to Okinawa. Pinch me. Tell me you're not kidding and I'm not dreaming."

Struggling to breathe, Yuzu mumbled, "You're not dreaming."

Harumin embraced the life out of Yuzu.

"You're killing me, Harumin," Yuzu's voice vanished into thin air.

Breathing in the good news deeply, Harumin slowly let Yuzu go. "Yuzucchi, I'm so excited," she gushed, spinning loosely. "All my dieting effort will surely payoff once I see the beach."

Unable to breathe properly, Yuzu placed her hand on her chest and sat heavily on the edge of her desk.

Suddenly, Harumin stopped from spinning. "Oh, but the Prez will be there, too, won't she, Yuzu?" Harumin asked, hunching her shoulders.

Still struggling to normalize her breathing, Yuzu simply nodded.

"Well, we can just escape from her and go swimming or snorkeling by ourselves. Plus, I don't think Prez would want to join us, anyway."

Yuzu stared out the window. "She might want to," she said almost whispering to herself.

"What was that, Yuzucchi?" Harumin asked leaning forward.

Yuzu slowly turned and looked at Harumin. "I guess," she uttered, smiling with her eyes.

* * *

Creative Drama Class, the following morning...

"You may be wondering why we're here at the function hall. Your class will be joined by the pilot section," the teacher announced, holding both of her palms together.

"Nope. I wasn't informed about this," Harumin said, lowering her voice. "Yuzucchi, are you fine with this?"

 _Mei's class will join us._

Rubbing her arm, Yuzu responded, "There's nothing wrong with that, Harumin."

Harumin let out an exasperated sigh. "If you say so."

The teacher gestured for the students by the door to get inside. "The students from Class 3-A will be your judges. They will evaluate how well you deliver your lines. Make sure to impress them."

"Did you memorize your lines, Yuzucchi," Harumin whispered, nudging Yuzu's elbow.

"Yeah, I practiced at home."

The students from 3-C all turned to welcome the pilot class.

"Welcome 3-A!" the teacher exclaimed, guiding them to form a horizontal line. "I hope you're ready for some speed acting," she said, turning her glance at Yuzu's class. It works akin to speed dating wherein you'll go around and say your lines to each of the pilot students."

"I didn't sign up for this," Harumin said, shaking her head sideways.

"Sensei, I have an idea. Why don't we choose our own partners," Aki exclaimed, gazing admiringly at Mei.

Chin up, the teacher glared at Aki from a distance.

"Yes, sensei! Aki's idea is brilliant!" Toshi yelled, glancing at Mei.

Clapping her hands three times to catch everyone's attention, the teacher approached Yuzu's class. "Those of you who prefer to choose your own partner, raise your hands."

Almost everyone raised their hands enthusiastically. Some even raised both hands.

Convinced, the teacher nodded in agreement. Crossing her arms, she exclaimed, "Then, let's have the pilot section choose their partners."

Aki sneered. "That's not what I meant, Sensei. We choose our partners. Not the other way around!"

The teacher sighed deeply. "Well, that will not happen," she hissed. She gestured for the pilot class to approach her.

Standing with her hands on her back, Yuzu kept stealing glances at a girl who was walking authoritatively yet gracefully toward their class.

"3-A, there has been a slight change of plan." The teacher turned to face the pilot class. "You may choose your own partner, this time. They cannot say 'no' to your request."

"No!" A masculine voice emerged from Yuzu's class. Everyone turned to search for that person who let out a regretful reaction but without any success. Aki acted as if nothing had happened.

With hopeful gazes, Toshi and Aki focused all their attention at Mei almost silently begging for her to choose them.

Slowly, the pilot class moved toward Yuzu's class. As Mei subtly walked toward Yuzu, she stopped.

"Okogi-san, can I be your partner?" A guy from Mei's class asked loudly.

Yuzu longingly glanced at Mei.

The raven-haired looked away and turned her gaze at Aki, who was quietly following her like a sly detective.

"I'll be your partner, Aihara-san!" Aki exclaimed from the top of his lungs.

Without a second thought, Mei accepted Aki's offer and they walked away from Yuzu and her partner whom she started to develop a feeling of hatred.

"Aihara-san, thank you very much," Aki said, bowing.

Mei simply let out a sigh and looked at Aki. But her peripheral gaze was directed at Yuzu and her partner. "You may stop bowing now."

Aki straightened his back and smiled nervously. "I'm sorry, Aihara-san."

The raven haired nodded and took one last glance at Yuzu before focusing all her attention at Aki.

"I got this line from an old movie," Aki said, avoiding an eye contact and keeping a short distance from Mei. "If you're ready, I can start, Aihara-san."

Pressing her lips together, Mei reluctantly nodded in agreement. But her mind was darted at a particular someone. She subtly turned to glance at Yuzu, once more. Her lavender eyes narrowed and she began to feel a churning in her stomach upon seeing how her classmate gazed at Yuzu. She closed her eyes and looked away.

"Aihara-san. I'm ready to start," Aki murmured, bending his head.

"Okay," Mei muttered, clutching her pen tightly.

Slightly rocking from side to side, Aki shook his hand. "Most of all, I'm scared of walking out of this room," he paused and took a deep breath, "And never feeling my whole." He stopped upon noticing how deathly Mei's glare was.

Mei took a step back and tried to soften her expression when she realized how nervous Aki had become. She had never meant to let the wave of raw emotions she was struggling to conceal show through her eyes.

Aki resumed. "And never feeling my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you," he said like an auctioneer talking at 500 words per minute.

Unable to understand Aki's line, Mei arched her brow.

The teacher clapped her hands again to catch the attention of everyone around. "Now, we will switch partners," she announced.

Everyone started to move around chaotically except for Mei. She remained in her position. She simply watched Aki being dragged by an overly eager female student from her class.

"Aihara-san," he cried, begging for Mei to save him.

Mei, on the other hand, had something... someone else in mind. She looked around hoping to get a glimpse of an unpartnered blonde. Her eyes subtly moved from one direction to the next but there wasn't any sight of Yuzu.

"Aihara Mei," someone said in a low feminine voice from behind.

She slightly jolted from her place. Even in a modulated tone, she recognized that voice. But she kept herself turned away from her.

"Okogi-san, can you be my partner?" Masashi interrupted.

Squinting her eyes, Mei slowly turned to see what was happening. She stepped back and gave her pen a death-clutch.

"The rule is you can't say 'no' to our request," Masashi said, looking straight into Yuzu's eyes.

Confused, Yuzu looked at Masashi then darted her gaze toward Mei.

Mei walked away and left the two alone with a sour expression in her eyes masked by a calm demeanor.

"Can you be my partner, President?" Toshi out of nowhere appeared. He was slightly rocking from side to side to ease his nerves.

Although Mei could somewhat feel her stomach churn and having ill will thoughts toward someone she considered a friend, she reminded herself that Masashi did her an enormous favor and that it was better for Yuzu to be with him than with others.

Mei glanced up at Toshi. "Okay," she sighed, and moved further away quickly from Yuzu and Masashi.

* * *

"Okogi-san. There's just something that I want to confirm. Trust me and thank me later." Masashi said.

"Huh? I'm not sure what you mean." Yuzu tilted her head and furrowed her brow.

"Follow me." Masashi ushered Yuzu as they walked slowly toward Mei and Toshi. As they moved closer, just enough for Mei to see what they were about to do, Masashi stopped. "Okay, we can stay here."

Crossing her arms and twisting her mouth, Yuzu blurted, "What are you trying to do?"

Quickly glancing at Mei, Masashi held Yuzu's arm and led her to a position where she could easily spot them.

"Now, please say your line in a really heartfelt way while looking at me. Imagine that you have deep feelings for me," Masashi said, looking at Yuzu and glancing quickly at Mei.

Yuzu sighed and slumped her shoulders. "Okay, as long as you give me a high score, then I'll..."

Masashi swiftly grabbed Yuzu's hand as soon as he spotted Mei turn her head to their direction. "I'm sorry for interrupting, Okogi-san. Now if you please say your line, I'd give you the highest possible score."

Yuzu widened her eyes as soon as her gaze was met by Mei's piercing lavender eyes. Her knees slightly trembled as she noted a different energy radiating from Mei, an expression that was fierce enough to kill her, if it only could.

* * *

To be continued...

This story started out just as a simple one and I'm very humbled that you're liking it. I can't thank you enough for your taking the time to read it or for even being kind enough to leave your comments. Thank you. I hope you have a beautiful day. 3


	9. Chapter 9 - Turbulence

Chapter 9: Turbulence

* * *

Yuzu widened her eyes as soon as her gaze was met by Mei's piercing lavender eyes. Her knees slightly trembled as she noted a different energy radiating from Mei, an expression that was fierce enough to kill her, if it only could.

Mei's gaze darted toward their hands. She looked at Yuzu, once more, then turned her face to focus all her attention at Toshi.

"Did you see that?" Masashi asked, smiling at Yuzu and letting her hand go.

Bewildered and slightly trembling, Yuzu simply glanced up at her partner and stared at him.

"If looks could kill, then we would have been dead by now, Okogi-san." Masashi said, letting out a triumphant chortle.

Yuzu let out an exasperated sigh and crossed her arms.

"There's no need to waste another second," he said, playfully winking at Yuzu. "Let me take care of this." He excused himself then walked slowly toward Mei, leaving Yuzu alone.

Confused and growing a little impatient, Yuzu tapped her foot and just allowed Masashi to leave.

 _I'm gonna kill that guy._

* * *

"Hear my soul spea..." Toshi paused.

"Yeah, I hear your soul speak but the President has an urgent matter to attend to, so dude, if you'll excuse us." Masashi glanced down and smiled at Mei. "President, please follow me," he said, opening his hand like a gentleman ready to usher Mei away from Toshi.

Pressing her lips together, Mei gave Masashi a black look of annoyance.

"Trust me, President," he whispered. He then cleared their way like a bodyguard.

"Masashi, why are you doing this?" she asked, squinting her eyes.

He paused and stood still for a while. He glanced down and gave Mei a reassuring smile. He leaned closer but kept a short distance. "She's waiting for you," he whispered.

Mei stared at him with those piercing eyes.

Masashi smiled and gestured for Mei to follow him.

The raven-haired let out another sigh of irritation but her feet moved involuntarily, following Masashi's path. There was a strong and inexplicable energy pulling her forward. Her body was gliding on its own, without her conscious control as if it was answering someone's call.

She stopped.

Masashi stood by her side as they watched Yuzu nervously wandering about the hall alone. They noticed Yuzu was murmuring something and gesturing with a sheet of paper on one hand... probably internalizing her line for the activity.

"President. You have nothing to worry about me." He glanced down and made an eye contact with Mei.

"Masashi." Mei cleared her throat and kept a steady eye contact with Masashi.

"You deserve to be happy, Mei," he said, breaking the formality between them. They had been classmates for years and his father had been working for one of their companies. Though he always kept a comfortable distance from the Mei, it didn't stop him from protecting her or from making sure that she stayed safe. It was his way of showing loyalty to her and her family. "Stay here, I'll go get her."

Mei just watched Masashi dash toward Yuzu's direction. She held one hand closer to her heart and let out a sigh of relief. Closing her eyes, she felt her chest loosen its tightness as if the bitterness she had been carrying around vanished into thin air.

"Mei." A familiar feminine voice emerged.

Mei swore she could recognize that voice even from a distance or from a crowd. It was the only voice that had the power to melt the pride in her or to tame her anger or to even dissolve traces of envy from her heart. She kept her eyes closed to hide the vulnerability in her eyes.

Masashi leaned in to whisper. "You always have my back, President." He then turned away and left Mei and Yuzu.

Right after Masashi left, for a moment, there was and intense silence between Yuzu and Mei until Yuzu lifted her arm and gave Mei a light pat on the shoulder. Before opening her eyes, Mei took a deep breath.

"Are you ready to hear my lines?" Yuzu said, glancing longingly at those lavender eyes.

Mei stood still and gazed at those green eyes in return. Her sole intent for existing which was only to be the perfect heiress was slowly being crushed by Yuzu's genuine expression. Never had she been distracted from her only goal or her calling until Yuzu managed to enter a deeper part of her thoughts.

Yuzu looked at her copy then back at Mei. "Okay." Her voice softened to a sound that only Mei could hear. "I know this is cheesy but I never expected to say these words to you. I mean, not like this, but... you know," she stammered.

Although Mei had gotten used to Yuzu's awkwardness, she had never told her it was okay or reassured her that somehow she found it a little... adorable. She stood there with the commanding presence of an Aihara heiress, making an eye contact with the blonde and keeping her calm demeanor.

"Mei, please cover your ears. I'm about to start," Yuzu insisted as she moved her body from side to side.

Leaning a little forward, Mei whispered to Yuzu's ear causing the blonde to jolt. "You may start. Make sure to impress me." For a moment, she thought it was the best way to calm Yuzu's nerves but it went against her plan.

Yuzu took a double deep breath to calm her herself. Never had Yuzu expected to say her cliched lines to Mei in that way so she was hesitant and mentally scolding herself. "This is like a promise, Mei. I just never thought of saying it this way or in this moment."

"If you're not comfortable saying it in front of me, I can turn around," Mei said, looking all poised and calm.

"No, please, stay that way," Yuzu hissed and shook her head. "I'm comfortable this way."

But the way Yuzu was acting from moving from side to side to suddenly looking away revealed something opposite from being comfortable.

"You still have a chance to cover your ears," Yuzu spoke under her breath as she gently punched her palm.

"If you're not starting anytime soon, I'm afraid you'll incur demerit points." Mei's voice was stern yet playful.

"Demerit what?" Yuzu asked, tilting her head.

"I'm going to give you the lowest score," Mei warned, looking straight into Yuzu's eyes.

Yuzu immediately straightened herself. Then she covered her face with both hands. "Alright," she muttered, uncovering her blushing face. She then looked at Mei and took a deep breath.

Clearing her throat, she started. "I promise to accept you in all your forms, to shine light on your darkness, and to love you at your weakest." Yuzu's voice choked with emotions.

Those words spoken by Yuzu slightly caused Mei to step back.

"To laugh with you and at all your jokes and never at you, I promise that," Yuzu said, fighting against her nervousness.

Although Mei knew there wasn't any meaning to those words, she felt a little off balance.

"To everything life brings us, I will stand beside you and hold your hand," Yuzu slowly said, almost choking on the last three words.

Looking intensely at Yuzu's sparkling green eyes, Mei felt it harder to keep her neutral expression.

"I promise to support you when you're sad or when you feel weak." Yuzu looked down and closed her eyes. She could feel a lump forming on her throat.

Standing in front of Yuzu and hearing those practiced words slip out of her lips, Mei reminded herself to act unaffected, to feign obliviousness. But she was struggling a little.

Yuzu shook her head again before lifting it. "In every second of the day, I promise to love you and honor you unconditionally." Yuzu lowered her voice to a soft whisper that was full of sincerity. She bravely looked at Mei against her tension.

Mei's heart conceded a bit but her mind wasn't giving up so easily.

"Mei," Yuzu gasped, glancing at the taller girl and struggling to hold back a tear. "I promise to always be your biggest fan." She spoke ever so slowly then looked away. "I have to go, Mei," she said and and exited the hall, hurriedly.

Mei's emotions were stirred. Watching Yuzu leave the hall, her chest tightened but she had to act stern. Her intuition told her that Yuzu composed every single line by herself but she didn't want to assume. What if she was wrong? She thought.

* * *

From the hall, Yuzu ran far enough to shake off the embarrassment that was creeping in her body. Seeing a staircase, she felt relieved. "You're such a fool, Yuzu," she cursed beneath her breath, climbing the stairs. She stopped halfway and sat slowly.

"It felt like a confession," she whispered to herself. But she had little hope that Mei would look at her the way she did. Why would she be? She scolded herself.

She felt like breaking and her heart was crushing. Yuzu leaned back against the upper steps. "Crap," she muttered upon realizing that she lost the paper where she wrote the lines for their creative drama class.

For a moment, she panicked at the thought of losing the paper but her mind dwelled more on how she was feeling every word she uttered in front of Mei.

Although they had already kissed, she wanted more... a sense of happiness... or security with Mei but she thought she was crazy enough to even desire something like that.

Never had she wanted to protect anyone the way she wanted to protect Mei. Or give someone the encouragement and support the way she wanted to give her. She never wanted anything more than to see her happy.

She was shivering at the thought of having to explain herself to Mei. She couldn't lie any longer to Mei or even to herself. She was ready to give her everything but she was afraid.

* * *

"What happened? Masashi asked worriedly, keeping a distance from Mei. He rushed toward her as soon as he spotted the blonde leave the hall in a hasty manner.

Mei casually glanced up and made an eye contact with Masashi. "I don't know how to answer that question," she said.

Masashi bent down to pick the sheet of paper Yuzu had dropped.

"Prez, I'm sorry for interrupting. But what happened to Yuzu?" Harumin said, slightly panting. She dashed toward Mei upon noticing her best friend's sudden exit.

"I don't have any idea, Taniguchi-san." She darted her glance toward Harumin. "I'm not exactly sure what happened. She was saying her lines..."

"Oh," Harumin interrupted, stepping back and lightly smacking her palm against her forehead. "She worked very hard on her lines. She told me she was doing it for someone special. Maybe this activity was too much or too exhausting for her."

Mei arched her brow. "Someone special?"

"Yeah, almost all of us just got our lines from movies or songs but she wanted to write her own lines. I told her she was crazy but she was unshakable," Harumin said, creasing her brow.

"I see." Mei subtly and lightly clutched to her tie against her chest.

"I'll go look for her, Prez." Harumin politely excused herself and went to talk to their teacher.

"President," Masashi said, lowering his voice for the sake of privacy. "I think Okogi-san dropped this when she left hurriedly." He handed Mei the paper.

Mei glanced up at Masashi then lowered her gaze at the paper. Taking it slowly, she noted the letter "M" as the only part of the greeting.

It tugged at her heartstrings and she didn't know why. Never had she imagined herself to feel that way. She was incapable to... or even undeserving to. She thought. But for the first time, someone made her feel accepted for who she was without expectations. When did that happen? She pondered.

"Everyone, let's have a break," the teacher shouted, clapping her hands to get their attention.

"There's something that I have to take care of at the Student Council Office," Mei said, respectfully leaving Masashi behind.

As she was gracefully exiting the hall, Mei made sure to wear a neutral expression on her face even though her heart was uncontrollably beating. No one had ever made her heart beat so fast that it was actually starting to hurt.

Casually scanning her surroundings, she hoped to get a glimpse of the runaway blonde but she had no success.

She clutched to her chest hoping for the overwhelming feelings to die down. She had always guarded her heart from unusual emotions or from anyone trying to break in. Sure, she had been in a relationship but it was merely for convenience. For people like her, love was a luxury they could never afford.

Taking a deep breath, Mei held her hand close to her heart. Then she went in to the office. Scanning the empty room, she tried to bring herself in control of her emotions. She reminded herself, once again, that it was unfitting to show any signs of sentiment or to allow herself to feel... to be normal. She sat heavily in her chair and closed her eyes. Her mind drifted into one incident in her childhood...

* * *

After coming home from elementary school, Mei was suspicious that something was wrong.

"Koko-chan, I'm home," she shouted calling out for her dog.

An unsettling feeling started to well up in her so she searched every corner to look for her dog.

"Koko-chan." She called over and over with no result.

She sat on the kitchen floor and started to sob.

A tall and slender woman appeared in the kitchen. She was all dressed up in the afternoon. One can tell that she had always preferred looking her best even just at home. Her silky black hair reflected the light from the small chandelier.

"Stand up from the floor and stop crying," she commanded sternly, holding a half-empty bottle of champagne. From the way she spoke, it was obvious that she had been drinking heavily the whole afternoon.

Mei struggled to stand. She was worried about her dog but she was also scared of the woman in the kitchen with her.

"Stop being a crybaby. You're already seven," the woman yelled, pointing a finger at Mei while holding the bottle of champagne.

Mei stood up and leaned against the wall. Her knees were shaking. She slid down involuntarily.

Annoyed, the older woman slammed the door entrance. The bottle slipped from her hand and dropped on the marbled floor.

Mei froze and stared at the woman with wide eyes.

"You see what you did? It's all your fault!" the woman shouted angrily, visible veins throbbing in her neck.

Mei wrapped her arms around herself. She was trembling at the sight of a raging woman.

The woman walked toward Mei, squinting her eyes and ready to stab a finger at her. Clenching her fist, she bent down. "You're an Aihara. You're never allowed to cry," she said, clenching her jaw.

Unable to look at the older woman, Mei darted her gaze toward the floor. But she could still smell the harsh scent of alcohol from the woman.

"Stop crying!" she yelled, slamming her palm on the wall.

Shocked and fearful, Mei covered herself with her little arms. Then she heard a sobbing noise coming from the woman. She looked up and noted tears streaming down the woman's face.

"Mother," Mei gasped.

"Go to your room now!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

Mei ran as fast as she could.

* * *

Wiping a tear from her cheek as she recalled the incident, Mei stood up from her chair. Then she heard a familiar tone coming from her drawer. Kenji was calling her.

 **"Kenji."**

 **"Signorina,"** Kenji greeted in an Italian accent.

 **"What do you want?"** Mei replied in a stern manner.

 **"Aihara Mei, stop being so harsh,"** he playfully teased. But he noted Mei's voice was a bit shaky.

 **"I'm busy, Kenji. I'll be hanging up now."**

 **"No. I can sense there's something bothering you, Aihara."**

 **"Since when have you developed a sixth sense?"** Mei rebuked.

 **"I'm being serious here. Did anything happen?"**

Mei hesitated and stared at the round table.

 **"You know you can tell me anything,"** Kenji soothed.

Slowly, Mei moved toward the table. She pulled a chair for herself while looking at the other chair.

 **"So, Yuzu agreed to go on a trip to Okinawa with her friend,"** Kenji paused, waiting for Mei to answer. **"And I happened to tell her that you would also go."**

Leaning back against the chair, Mei tilted her head back and just let out a sigh.

 **"Why do I feel like a salesman making a pitch?"** Kenji said, hoping to elicit laughter from the heiress.

Mei remained silent.

 **"I told Yuzu that Okinawa is your version of paradise. Also, I think you really need a break from all the school work and stress at home. What do you think, Aihara?"**

Sighing deeply, Mei stood up.

 **"You're going to Okinawa whether you like it or not."** Kenji slightly raised his voice with a tinge of annoyance.

 **"Why do you have to call me when you settled everything yourself?"** Mei snapped.

Kenji burst out laughing. He then sighed loudly. **"Forget about stress, for once, Mei."**

* * *

One week later...

It was a quiet noon at the cafeteria. Yuzu and Harumin were having their usual Katsudon for lunch. They admiringly gazed at the trees that were swaying with the wind.

"I like how the trees sway with the wind," Yuzu said, remembering how Mei loved it too.

"Yeah." Harumin looked across the soccer field.

Letting out a satisfied sigh, Yuzu turned her face to finish her meal.

"Yuzu," a girl said.

Without any warning, Yuzu's heartbeat raced uncontrollably. She hesitated to look at the girl.

"Do you have a minute?" the girl said with a firm tone in her voice.

"Hi, Prez," Harumin greeted, waving a hand at Mei.

Clenching her left fist, Yuzu turned her face to look at Mei. She smiled against her anxiety. "Sure. What is it about, Mei?"

Mei nodded as if telling Yuzu to follow her. She slowly moved out of the cafeteria.

Yuzu immediately grabbed her bag and excused herself from Harumin. She then followed Mei who was heading for the Student Council Office.

Reaching her office, Mei stopped to wait for Yuzu.

"Thanks, Mei," Yuzu said, looking a bit confused.

"I want to talk to you about something," Mei said, opening the door and gesturing for Yuzu to get inside.

With a few steps, both of them were inside.

"Okay, Mei," Yuzu said, nervously making an eye contact with Mei.

Mei firmly looked straight into Yuzu's eyes. "Yuzu, why were you avoiding me after the drama class?"

Yuzu looked away. Her eyes narrowed and she could feel her chest tighten a bit.

"Yuzu," Mei sternly said, glowering and stepping closer.

Gulping, Yuzu lifted her head with all her force and looked at Mei. She narrowed her eyes upon noting Mei's angry expression. "Because..." she paused, staring fearfully at Mei. In that instant, Yuzu wanted to collapse from her fear.

Then Mei softened her expression which made Yuzu all confused. She gently touched Yuzu's face while looking at her. Everything about that moment made Yuzu's heart melt entirely.

Mei leaned in and kissed the side of Yuzu's cheek. "Yuzu, I also..." she paused, moving her face to Yuzu's other cheek. "Care about..."

Yuzu pulled away and hurriedly left the office.

* * *

After one month...

"Harumin, finally, we're going to Okinawa," Yuzu exclaimed with so much excitement in her voice.

Unable to contain her delight, Harumin grabbed Yuzu's hands and they both jumped up and down. Everyone looked at them with creased brows.

"Yuzucchi!" Harumin cried out loud. "I can't believe one of my dreams is coming true."

They were at the Haneda Airport, checking in for their flight. Yuzu had a lovely yellow hardcase luggage. It looked stylish and it complemented her outfit perfectly. She wore a pair of distressed denim shorts, a white top with a subtle print and a hat. Everything about her look screamed 'summer.'

Her best friend put on a fitted skirt and a tank top. She was also sporting a fitted faux leather jacket. Her luggage was almost similar to Yuzu's but in a different color, metal grey. Harumin wanted a pink one but it wasn't available anymore so she just settled for the classic one.

"I can hear the ocean waves calling me," Yuzu said as they were making their way to a self-serve kiosk.

"This is gonna be an amazing experience, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, scanning the place.

"Don't you think Kenji overdid it?" Yuzu asked, looking over the kiosks and baggage drop counters.

"Maybe, but it doesn't hurt, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, taking her shades off. She then turned around and looked at the entrance. "Yuzucchi! She gushed, grabbing Yuzu's shoulders from the back and instantly turned her around.

Yuzu darted her gaze toward the entrance. Her eyes settled at the girl in a gorgeous navy blue dress and fitted blazer. The girl elegantly made her way inside the North Wing, effortlessly catching the attention of the early morning crowd. Then, she paused and placed her phone in her bag. Her luggage flawlessly matched the color of her attire, Yuzu thought.

"The Prez surely does know how to dress to impress," Harumin sighed, slumping her shoulders in defeat. "So she's really taking this trip with us, Yuzucchi?" she hissed, widening her eyes while looking at Yuzu.

Yuzu looked away from Harumin. Her eyes followed Mei's movements. "Harumin, Mei is using the priority check-in service," she said, keeping her gaze at the raven-haired.

"She's an Aihara and a frequent traveler, I guess. I bet she has an Elite Status with the airline," Harumin said with a bit of sour expression on her face.

Yuzu let out a loud sigh. "Hmm... using these kiosks isn't that bad, Harumin."

"Yuzucchi, the Prez is done. She checked in so fast," Harumin cried, crinkling her nose. "Now, let's figure out how to use these machines."

"This should be easy," Yuzu said, rubbing the back of her head.

"I think it's weird that you didn't say 'hi' to her, Yuzucchi," Harumin casually said.

Yuzu paused and straightened her back. "Well, she looked as if she was in a hurry."

"Yeah. There's plenty of time to exchange pleasantries," Harumin paused then excitedly raised her voice, "in Okinawa!" She reached out for Yuzu and wrapped her arms around her.

* * *

"Good morning," a flight attendant greeted Yuzu and Harumin as they entered the aircraft.

"This is business class, Yuzucchi!" Harumin whispered, carrying a small sling bag and looking around. "But we're not going to be seated together," she hissed in defeat.

Patting Harumin's shoulder, Yuzu joked, "We need to take a break from each other once in a while, Harumin." Yuzu giggled while clinging to her backpack straps.

Walking to her seat, Yuzu paused and placed her hand over her mouth. Her eyes widened.

"What's wrong, Yuzucchi?" Harumin asked, looking across the aisle to search for her seat then at Yuzu.

"I'll be sitting next to Mei," she whispered, turning slightly to glance at Harumin. Yuzu had the window seat on the second row.

Mei was peacefully napping in her seat. She rested her head on the the palm of her right hand while her left hand was holding a sheet of paper.

"Don't wake her up," Harumin whispered back. "She worked overnight or something, I think," she said brushing her chin gently with her finger.

 _She looks so beautiful though._

 _"_ I better head to my seat." Harumin looked across and pointed at the empty aisle seat in the last row. "Don't do anything Mama Harumin won't do, Yuzucchi," she cooed, giggling and waving her hand.

Yuzu squinted her eyes. She watched as Harumin slowly moved toward her seat. She quickly glanced down and back at the aisle. Her heartbeat was racing. Slowly and cautiously, she glided in the window seat. After successfully doing the stunt without waking her seatmate up, she took a deep breath and mentally threw a fist in the air.

Mei let out a soft sound of exhaustion and moved in her seat. She unconsciously moved her hand which led her head to nod from the side. She awoke to the slight pain from her shoulder and neck. Covering her mouth, she yawned against the slight pain. Straightening her back, she gently rubbed her shoulder to soothe it. Then she noticed that someone was sitting next to her.

"Mei." Yuzu fought through her nervousness to say that name.

Sighing deeply, Mei turned to make an eye contact with Yuzu. Then it turned into a glare.

"I know, you're mad at me. I'm sorry," Yuzu pleaded, clutching the hem of her top.

"So, now we're suddenly having a conversation." Mei rebuked, turning her face forward and still glowering.

"You must hate me right now but I hope you know how sorry I am." Yuzu slumped in her chair and turned her gaze on the floor.

"It meant nothing to me. There's nothing to apologize for," she sternly said.

With all her might, Yuzu turned her body to the side to face Mei. "Mei, I really..." she said pausing and clenching a fist.

"As I mentioned, it meant nothing to me. I don't need any explanation," Mei firmly said.

Yuzu found herself shrinking back in her seat. For a moment, she thought about rebutting to Mei's stern response, but instead she swallowed a bit of her pride and accepted defeat. Her mind couldn't come up with the best reason behind the incident at the Student Council Office.

"I'm so sorry, Mei," she whispered under her breath.

Ignoring Yuzu's statement, Mei took her blazer off and hung it on the coat hook in front of her. She leaned back and slightly reclined her seat. Mei usually had a soft spot for Yuzu but in that moment, she couldn't bare the idea of casually chatting with the person sitting next to her.

Thirty minutes in, boarding was complete. Yuzu still wanted to explain herself but noticing how Mei had been acting, she conceded and fixed her gaze at the view outside the window. As the plane pushed back from the gate, Yuzu leaned in closer to the window and let out a sigh.

 _Bye, Tokyo. Bye, love life._

Mei closed her eyes and held tightly on the armrest as the plane was taking off. She hadn't always liked the feeling of sudden and prolonged acceleration of any mode of transportation. Breathing in deeply, she waited for the plane to lift off the ground. As soon as it rotated, she opened her eyes and turned to look at the window.

Yuzu noticed that Mei was trying to look out the window so she subtly reclined in her seat to give her seatmate a better view. As soon as the plane climbed out over the Tokyo Bay, they both sighed in delight. Yuzu glanced at Mei but quickly turned her gaze away.

 _Why did I do that. I know she's still mad at me._

Fifty minutes in, they were ascending to less turbulent skies. Yuzu was starting to feel a bit of neck pain from her position. For the past twenty minutes, her gaze was fixed at the scenery outside. The clouds and the skies were witnesses to her emerald gaze filled with unacknowledged feelings. Slowly, she leaned back and crossed her right arm to give her neck a light massage. Stretching her neck, she got a glimpse of her seatmate who was nodding forward.

 _Really? All this time, I thought about avoiding making any form of eye contact with her and she's just sleeping?_

As an expert nap-taker, Mei gracefully, although unconsciously leaned back.

When the plane reached cruising altitude, a drinks service commenced. Yuzu fixed her tray table. She looked at her sleeping seatmate then fixed her tray table as well.

"Would you like coffee, tea, or juice?" the stewardess asked, smiling from ear to ear. "Miss, it would be better for her to lean on your shoulder. You have about the same height."

Yuzu paused and stared at her table. "I'd like some orange juice please."

"A friend's shoulder is better than a headrest," the stewardess cooed, pouring the juice into their cups. "I assume, she'd also prefer some orange juice," she continued, handing Yuzu both of the cups.

"Thank you." Yuzu bowed slightly at the stewardess.

"Enjoy your flight," the stewardess said, walking down the aisle and leaving Yuzu and Mei behind.

She placed one cup on Mei's table but then quickly took it back as soon as she realized that Mei wasn't going to wake up any time soon. Thinking of giving Mei more space to move, Yuzu folded her tray table and pushed it back on the side. Almost instinctively, she grabbed a blanket and tucked it around her so that no cold air would seep in while she was sleeping.

"Mei, I ran away like a crazy person and I avoided seeing you because," she whispered, pausing and glancing at her sleeping seatmate. Then a little turbulence occurred and Mei shifted her head on Yuzu's side. The blonde leaned back and prodded Mei's head gently with her shoulder. Letting out a sigh of relief, Yuzu closed her eyes and cleared her throat.

After a few minutes, the plane was flying smoothly. But Yuzu's heart remained a bit turbulent. As Mei's head settled on her shoulder, she found it harder to sit still. Slowly, she looked to her left.

"I was afraid to be rejected by you." She spoke under her breath. "I care about you so much that it hurts to keep these feelings to myself. I had to avoid you because I didn't want you to feel pressured, Mei." She kept her voice to a soft whisper.

Yuzu jolted as soon as she felt Mei move her head closer and let out a soft sound. She clutched her chest.

 _That was close. Thank goodness, she's still sleeping._

To ease her nerves, Yuzu drank her orange juice. But it wasn't enough so she consumed her seatmate's beverage, too. As soon as she felt her heart rate normalize, she closed the window and turned on the overhead light. She noted Mei was looking a bit uncomfortable with her leg position so Yuzu cautiously and carefully extended her legrest to give Mei a better support. Then she adjusted her blanket.

A fashion magazine from the seat pocket caught Yuzu's attention so she carefully grabbed it and browsed through the pages.

* * *

More than two hours in, they soon began their descent to Naha Airport. Yuzu opened her eyes to the sound of the Pilot's announcement. Stretching her right arm, she moved her head and inhaled a familiar scent. Mei was still resting peacefully on her shoulder. Yuzu smiled against her nervousness.

Mei turned to the opposite side. She gently stretched her body and sat up. She noticed that not only was her legrest extended but she had a blanket on. Softly and gently rubbing her left eye, she turned to her right and noted Yuzu's tranquil state. The blonde rested her head on her right palm while her other hand was on top of a magazine.

 _Déja vu. Why does she always do that?_

Looking at Yuzu who was sleeping in her seat, Mei squinted her eyes. She was torn between acting unaffected or angry. Why would she act angrily? She asked herself. It would only give Yuzu the impression that she cared about her too much.

"Yuzu, wake up. The plane is about to land." She controlled her voice to conceal any undertone of care, anger or whatnot.

Slowly lifting her head, Yuzu opened her eyes and let out a sound. She stretched her arms along with the length of her body. Crossing her arms, she massaged some tension on her back. She smiled and looked at Mei but then her fear got the best of her and so she looked away quickly. "Thanks," she muttered, looking out the window.

Taking a quick glance at Yuzu, the raven-haired grabbed her blazer. She gently brushed her hair with her hands and straightened her dress. Instantly, she looked as if she was ready for a photo shoot.

For a moment, there was a comforting silence between them. Although Yuzu wanted to talk to Mei, she knew it wasn't the right time.

Mei stretched her back and took a deep breath. She remained silent. She understood that it was better for her not to utter how she felt because she knew how tactless she could be.

The business class passengers were the first ones to exit the aircraft.

As Mei was about to leave, Yuzu grabbed her arm. With a glower, she turned and looked at Yuzu.

Yuzu looked down and curled her toes in her shoes. Lifting her head, she cleared her throat. "There's something that I want to tell you." Her voice was slightly shaky.

The raven-haired let out a sigh of frustration.

"I'm so sorry for avoiding you, Mei and for what happened at the office," she said, pausing, giving Mei a pleading look. "Please, don't be mad at me."

Mei felt her heart ache a bit seeing Yuzu act that way. She wanted to be mad and to give Yuzu the cold shoulder. She leaned in closer and gave Yuzu a quick air kiss on the cheek, instead.

* * *

Thank you so much for your comments and reviews. I hope you know how heartwarming it is to read them all. I really can't thank you enough for reading and liking this story. You're the best and I hope you have wonderful week.


	10. Chapter 10 - Hot Air Balloon

Chapter 10 - Hot Air Balloon

* * *

Mei felt her heart ache a bit seeing Yuzu act that way. She wanted to be mad and to give Yuzu the cold shoulder. She leaned in closer and gave Yuzu a quick air kiss on the cheek, instead.

The blonde jolted and felt a slight shiver from Mei's sudden kiss. It looked like a friendly gesture for others but for Yuzu, it meant deeper than that.

Pulling back, Mei said in a stern yet soft voice, "We can't talk about these things here."

Although Yuzu felt her cheeks getting warmer, she hunched her shoulders and sighed in defeat. Then instantly, she straightened her back. "How about tonight?" she asked with her sparkling eyes.

Sighing deeply, Mei looked into Yuzu's eyes. "It depends on what you want to tell me." Her voice was a little harsh this time.

"Yuzucchi," Harumin shouted from several rows behind them. Everyone turned their heads and looked at Harumin disapprovingly.

Harumin didn't mind the commotion and just waved her hand at Yuzu.

Yuzu subtly covered her face in the hope to hide herself. For a moment, she wanted to sit back in her seat. As soon as she uncovered her face, Mei was gone. She quickly stepped forward and darted her gaze toward the exit. With no delay, she dashed to the front to get a glimpse of Mei. She noted the flight attendants were giving Mei a bow and bidding the other passengers farewell.

 _I can just talk to her later._

Yuzu almost jumped out her place. Someone grabbed her shoulders tightly from behind.

"We're finally here, Yuzucchi!" Harumin gushed, playfully shoving Yuzu.

* * *

Standing in the bustling terminal outside, Yuzu received a message from Kenji letting her know about a slight delay. Their driver had a little emergency so they had to wait at the airport for a while.

"It's okay, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, putting her sunglasses on and inhaling the fresh Okinawan air.

"Sorry, Harumin." Yuzu slumped her shoulders and sat on her hardcase luggage.

Scanning the area, Yuzu could see the excitement of the tourists waiting to explore the beauty of Okinawa. She noted a couple holding hands and looking around the terminal. She thought, probably, they were on their honeymoon.

Thirty minutes had passed, Harumin was carrying two bottles of cold drinks she got from a nearby vending machine. "Yuzucchi, here you go," she said, handing Yuzu a refreshing bottle of iced lemon tea.

"Thanks, Harumin," she said, softly wiping a sweat that was forming on her forehead.

"Can you hear that?" Harumin asked, putting her hand behind her ear while keeping a serious look.

"Yeah. Just some random sounds of people walking and talking," Yuzu answered nonchalantly while twisting the bottle cap.

"Don't be so serious, Yuzucchi." Harumin lightly hit Yuzucchi on the arm. "It's just been thirty minutes. We're not waiting like forever," Harumin said, readying herself to sit on her luggage.

As they sat there drinking and aimlessly looking around, Yuzu could see groups of people with their cases. They looked excited and she could hear them talk about their plans once they arrived at their hotel. Their faces were overflowing with happiness but she couldn't share their excitement because she was waiting to talk to Mei, to iron out their differences.

An hour in, they were still waiting.

"Yuzucchi, we can take a cab, you know. It's not that difficult." Harumin checked the time on her phone and stretched her body.

Finally, Yuzu saw Mei at the terminal outside. She was sure that the raven-haired was also waiting for their service to arrive. As her gaze followed Mei's movement who was looking at her phone, she received a text message.

 **From: Mei**

 **Kenji called me. It seems that the driver won't be arriving soon.**

 **I'll be staying at our beach house not at the resort.**

 **You can either wait for your service or you and Taniguchi-san can stay at my place.**

"Harumin," Yuzu shouted, catching the attention of the travelers around them. "We'll be staying at Mei's place." She lowered her voice to a whisper. She quickly stood up and grabbed the handle of her luggage.

"What about our hotel acco..." Harumin paused when Yuzu grabbed her wrist in a swift motion. Before she could have the chance to continue, Yuzu dragged her toward Mei's direction.

"There's no time to waste, Harumin. We've been waiting here forever," Yuzu said, darting her gaze toward Mei while pulling her luggage with one hand and dragging Harumin with the other.

"Jeez, let me go, Yuzucchi! Why are you suddenly all pumped up?" Harumin said, struggling to keep her balance.

"We better hurry up." Yuzu moved faster. She noted Mei was moving her head subtly from one direction to the next. Yuzu was hopeful that Mei was looking for her.

"Look at that, Yuzucchi," Harumin said. Her gaze fixed at the red car that stopped in front of Mei.

A young woman got out of the car. Her hair was silky brown that fell over her waist. Her skinny jeans flawlessly flattered her legs. Slowly, she moved toward the direction of someone Yuzu cared more than anyone in the world.

"She's so gorgeous, Yuzucchi. Prez really has some good-looking friends, huh?" Harumin said, looking at the girl who was smiling at Mei.

Yuzu found herself glaring at the girl. Creasing her brow, her eyes darted toward the girl's movements. In all the daylight's glory, her eyes narrowed upon seeing the girl plant a kiss on Mei's cheek.

"Mei," Yuzu yelled. Everyone around them stopped and stared at her. But it was the least of her worries. Slowly, her chest started to compress and she could feel her jaw clench involuntarily. She walked hurriedly toward Mei while dragging Harumin along.

Harumin had no choice but to just allow herself to be dragged along. "Yuzucchi, is everything alright?" She asked when she felt Yuzu's grip becoming tighter on her wrist.

With steadfast focus, Yuzu continued to walk until she was only a few steps away from Mei. She stopped. The girl who gave Mei a kiss on the cheek smiled at her and waved a hand. Yuzu eased the tension on her face and smiled against her will.

"Hello. You must be Mei-san's friends?" the girl asked. Her face brimmed with joy.

"Olivia, they're my batchmates," Mei said, shifting her gaze at Yuzu and Harumin.

"Hey, Prez!" Harumin exclaimed while fixing the front of her jacket.

Like a child whose candy had been stolen, Yuzu stood there looking intensely at Olivia. The sourness in her eyes washed over her consciousness as Olivia grabbed Mei's arm. It was enough to turn her into a green-eyed monster.

"Yuzucchi, are you okay?" Harumin leaned in closer. "Maybe, this day's temperature is making you feel this way? Or is it the time of the month?"

"Taniguchi-san," Mei said, making a gesture for Harumin and Yuzu to move forward as Olivia opened the trunk of her car. "We're ready to leave."

Unable to make a move forward, Yuzu squinted her eyes and looked away. She could feel a lump forming on her throat.

"Come on, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, grabbing Yuzu's wrist. "Let's go."

* * *

In the car...

Yuzu sat quietly in the backseat with Harumin. With her arms crossed, she fixed her gaze at the view out the window. It was a clear and beautiful day but her inner world was slightly sour.

"Mei-san, the beach house looks as gorgeous as ever. I'm glad that you're finally visiting the place again. How long has it been since you stayed there?" Olivia asked, placing her left hand over Mei's arm.

Slowly moving her head, Yuzu's gaze landed at Olivia's hand that was touching Mei. She mentally swatted Olivia's hand away.

"Seven years," Mei said, pulling away from Olivia's hand.

As she observed Mei's gesture, Yuzu triumphantly tilted her head back and smiled to herself. Then she looked intensely in the rear view mirror.

 _No one else can touch Mei._

"Yuzu. That's your name, right?" Olivia said while driving along. Coming to a red traffic light, she stopped and turned her face to the backseat and gave Yuzu a smile.

For a moment, Yuzu just stared at Olivia. She wanted to smile at her but her lips tightened. Finally, it raised on only one side, making her look either angry or contemptuous.

Olivia turned her glance at Harumin who had been sleeping and was resting her head on the travel pillow. "She must have been tired from the flight," Olivia said, staring fixedly at Harumin.

Unable to hide her emotions, Yuzu just nodded. Then she raised her head and fixed her gaze at the traffic lights.

"Do you miss Okinawa, Mei-san?" Olivia asked, sorting through some radio stations on the car's device until finally choosing one that played some peaceful music. Okinawa can best be enjoyed at a slower pace unlike Tokyo.

From the backseat, Yuzu had foregone being subtle in observing Mei's reaction. She looked steadily and intently at Mei in the rear view mirror.

Mei took a deep breath while looking out the window. "Sometimes," she said, keeping her face turned away from Olivia.

The lights changed to green after what had been like forever. Olivia drove through the lights and continued their way.

Mei slowly turned her face to the front and casually looked in the rear view mirror. She noted Yuzu was staring fixedly at her. Yuzu's eyes were narrowing. Without a second thought, Mei turned to the backseat. Yuzu immediately looked away.

"It's frustrating to drive slow, at times," Olivia said, sighing deeply in her seat.

Mei and Yuzu turned their heads to Olivia.

"Why don't you choose some music that you like, this time, Mei-san." Olivia pointed at the player.

"The music's fine." Mei peripherally glanced at Yuzu then settled her gaze at the road ahead.

"Yuzu-san, what type of music do you like to listen to?" Olivia asked, while steering her wheel to the right.

Yuzu quickly glanced at Mei. "I don't know. As long as it's good, I'l listen to it over and over again."

"Ah, I see." Olivia gushed, smiling at Yuzu through the rear view mirror. "Just like my little Mei-san. She used to listen to a song over and over again when she was little. It actually gave me a headache," Olivia said, chuckling.

Yuzu felt a sudden tightening on her chest. Caught between laughing or hating Olivia for knowing such a thing about Mei, Yuzu just pouted.

Mei looked out in the sky. "I think it's going to rain," she said, purposely ignoring Olivia's comment.

A few seconds in, they saw the first drops of rain falling on the front windshield.

"Dammit. Oh well, this is all too normal in Okinawa," Olivia said, sighing and checking the day's temperature. "Are you still afraid of thunder, Mei?"

"No," Yuzu said in between coughs.

Mei turned her face to Yuzu and gave her a piercing gaze. Yuzu's green eyes responded with a fierce eye contact.

Harumin let out a sound from her slumber which broke off the eye contact between Mei and Yuzu.

Coming to another red traffic light, Olivia stretched her arms and turned to the backseat. "Yuzu-san, is Mei-san dating anyone right now?"

"No," Yuzu said with all conviction almost like a reflex. "I mean a lot of people want to date her but..." Yuzu said, pausing and looking in the rear view mirror. She noted Mei had a calmness in her expression.

"She's always been the head-turner, the darling of the crowd," Olivia said, looking at Mei who was unfazed by their conversation.

"Yeah," Yuzu responded, pouting and fixing her gaze at the pouring rain outside the window.

Mei lowered her brows upon noticing Yuzu's reaction in the rear view mirror.

"She's my girl crush. I told her when she's still single at twenty five, she can always come to me and I'll drop everything to marry her." Olivia giggled uncontrollably in her seat.

Mei let out an exasperated sigh and she just pressed her lips together. "You've always been crazy, Olivia," she sternly said.

Yuzu's stomach churned involuntarily.

 _Why am I being ridiculous?_

"How about you, Yuzu-san? Are you dating anyone?" Olivia asked, driving through the lights after they changed to green.

Almost reluctantly, Yuzu answered, "There's this person whom I really like but..." she paused, leaning back in her seat.

"But?" Olivia arched her brow.

Yuzu looked down and turned her face to the window. She took a deep breath and looked in the rear view mirror again. "I'm not sure if that person feels the same way," she said with a slight tone of defeat.

Olivia sighed. "Young love."

"We're getting nearer," Mei said, gazing across a certain mountain.

"Okay, girls. We're about to make a gentle landing on the Aihara Beachfront's runway," Olivia said, doing her best impression of a pilot. Then she giggled to herself.

Mei closed her eyes and gently put her hand over her chest. She cleared her throat and tried her best to wear a calm expression.

"Here we are. Welcome home, Mei-san." Olivia said while unbuckling her seatbelt.

Yuzu noticed a worried expression on Mei. She leaned in and lightly tapped her on the shoulder. "Is everything okay, Mei?" Yuzu said, looking so genuinely at Mei. Her green eyes sparkled with gentleness.

Keeping her focus on the front, Mei nodded once. She felt a sudden rush of overwhelming feelings. She blinked back a tear that was escaping the corner of her eye.

 _Why does Mei look so worried?_

Yuzu kept her gaze at Mei. For a moment, she wanted to say something more. She slowly leaned back in her seat upon realizing it wasn't the best time. "Harumin, wake up," she said, gently nudging her best friend.

Harumin softly rubbed the sleepiness on her right eye then stretched her body. She turned her face to the window. "Holy smoke!" she exclaimed. "That is one fantastic beach house."

Olivia chuckled in her seat. "Wait until you see the views from the living room," she said, handing Mei an umbrella. "This island is famous for white sand beaches," she continued, turning her face to the backseat to look at Harumin. Then she handed her an umbrella.

"Looks like the rain has stopped," Harumin said while looking intensely at the raindrops that formed some patterns on the window.

Yuzu stretched her back but she kept her focus on Mei.

 _Why does she look sad?_

"Come on, girls. It's time to explore the place," Olivia said, fixing her long locks while stepping out of the car.

Harumin took a deep breath making sure to inhale the fresh scent of the ocean breeze mixed with the earthy fragrance after the rainfall. "This is heaven."

As Yuzu was about to step out of the car, she turned her head. In that moment, she felt a strange feeling of sadness while looking at Mei.

 _Why do I feel this way? Is this how she feels?_

As the three girls hurried inside, Mei remained in the car. As she looked across the ocean waves, her mind slowly drifted into a past event. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes as she remembered...

* * *

It was Mei's tenth birthday and her family flew over to Okinawa to celebrate it.

"Happy birthday, Mei," her father said, covering Mei's eyes to hide his surprise gift.

"Thank you, Father," Mei said, slowly moving forward while holding her father's right arm.

"Surprise!" Her father uncovered her eyes. "This is for you," he said, bending his head to look at Mei and pointing at the beach house. Her father fell in love with the island and built a one of a kind home, a masterpiece sculpted from concrete, glass, and wood with sweeping ocean and mountain views.

Mei's eyes widened and her hand gripped onto her father's arm.

"I wanted to get you something special, Mei." Her father bent down on his knee and made an eye contact with her. "You deserve nothing but the best."

Unable to move, Mei just stared at her father. Then she gazed at the newly-built beach house. "You didn't have to do this, Father."

Her father just smiled at her. His face was brimming with joy.

Looking at her father, Mei crinkled her eyes.

"Let's go inside," her father said as he slowly stood up.

Mei glanced up at her father with those sparkling lavenders. She nodded and smiled at him. If truth be told, her father's presence was already a perfect gift for her.

As they made their way in the front yard, her father took a deep breath. "I want you to open the door, Mei," he said, looking and smiling at his daughter.

With her little hand, Mei slowly opened the door.

When her father switched the lights on, a handful of children jumped out. "Happy birthday, Mei-chan!" they shouted, holding the streamers and wearing their party hats.

Mei screamed and turned to her father. She hugged him tightly.

If it were for other kids, they would have strutted cheerfully with their faces full of excitement. But not for Mei. She stood there keeping her arms wrapped around her father. She didn't know any of those kids.

Her father bent down on his knee again and looked at Mei. "It's okay," he said, gently brushing the strand of her hair that fell on her forehead.

Someone knocked on the door and Mei's father stood up and opened it.

"Thank you for inviting us, Boss," the visitor said, bowing respectfully. He was with a little girl who was slightly taller than Mei and probably even older.

"Thanks for preparing everything for us, Otsuka-san," Mei's father said, making a gesture for them to get inside.

"This is Olivia. She's my only daughter," Otsuka said while holding Olivia's hand. "She picked out this gift for you, Mei-san."

Olivia smiled and handed Mei a small gift box. "Happy birthday," she said, grinning and extending her arms toward Mei.

Somehow hesitantly, Mei took the gift. "Thank you," she said, slightly bowing.

Olivia immediately hugged Mei. "You're so cute," she gushed.

Otsuka gently pulled Olivia away. "I'm sorry, Mei-san," he said, bowing at Mei and her father.

"It's alright, Otsuka-san. They're kids," Mei's father said, patting Otsuka's shoulder. "How's our business going? Do we need to hire more people for our new construction project?," he added, leading Otsuka into a corner.

"There has been a minor issue, Boss, but we managed to solve it right away," Otsuka said as they looked out the glass window.

"Let's go, Mei-san." Olivia grabbed Mei's hand and led her outside. "I'll show you around the beach."

Mei didn't have a choice. Olivia's grip was tight. They ran as fast as they could to the shore.

When they finally stopped, Olivia regretfully sighed. "There are no stars tonight,"she said, hunching her shoulders. "I just wanted to show you the beachfront." She turned her face to look at the birthday celebrant.

Mei looked away and stared at the beach house. She could barely see her father or the kids inside. They were far away. She turned her face to her right and noted someone familiar. Her eyes narrowed.

Curious, Olivia turned to see what Mei was viewing. "It's normal, Mei-san. People kiss. I think they're a couple," she said, looking at the pair from a short distance.

The woman noticed the little girls looking at them. She broke off the kiss and darted her gaze toward them. Then she ran toward their direction. "Mei!" she shouted.

Mei froze for a moment and stared at the woman.

"Do you know her, Mei-san?" Olivia asked, looking at Mei while pointing her hand at the woman.

Mei ran as fast as she could, leaving Olivia behind.

"Mei, stop!" the woman yelled, gasping for air. She stopped as soon as she reached Olivia. But Mei was nowhere to be seen anymore.

"Why do you know Mei-san?" Olivia casually asked while looking at the woman who was panting in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Mei," the woman whispered to herself, tears flowing down her face. She then looked at Olivia. "She's my daughter."

* * *

Yuzu looked back at the car. She knew Mei wasn't sleeping even though her eyes were closed. Taking the phone from her pocket, she checked the time.

"Mei has been in the car for a long time already," Yuzu said with a worried expression on her face while looking at Olivia.

Olivia curled lips and crinkled her eyes. "Why don't you convince her to get inside, Yuzu-san?" she said playfully.

A little fazed, Yuzu tilted her head. But she wanted to run to the car and to make sure that Mei was fine. She looked at the sky, then her gaze trailed down toward Mei. "Alright."

Olivia nodded approvingly. She looked at her watch and sighed. "I'll prepare something for us. See you later," she said, hurrying back in the house.

"What are you thinking about, Mei?" Yuzu whispered to herself while looking at the raven-haired. She squeezed her toes and closed her eyes. After gaining enough courage, she walked slowly toward the car.

She stopped when she reached the trunk of the car. Looking in the side view mirror, she noted Mei was staring into space.

 _I can't act scared if I want to help Mei out._

"Yuzu."

Yuzu jolted upon hearing her name.

"What are you doing there?" Mei said, looking straight in the side view mirror with her lips pressed together.

Noticing a serious yet worried expression on Mei, Yuzu slowly moved forward. She turned around and leaned back against the car.

"You haven't answered my question," Mei sternly said.

Tilting her head back, Yuzu sighed and smiled. "I just wanna be here with you."

Letting out a sigh, Mei leaned back heavily in her seat. As she closed her eyes she felt a sudden surge of overwhelming emotions. A few seconds in, tears started to flow down her face.

Yuzu remained still and quiet in her place.

The comforting silence between them felt like a sanctuary for Mei to let go of some of her emotional baggage without being ashamed. With every tear, she felt lighter.

Yuzu took out a handkerchief from her bag. Keeping her gaze fixed at the house in front of her, she stretched out her arm to hand the hanky to Mei. She thought that Mei would appreciate the gesture but after several minutes, it was still on her hand and her arm was getting heavier.

 _Why isn't she taking it?  
_ Yuzu subtly turned her head. She noticed how Mei was intentionally ignoring her gesture.

"Yuzu, I'm not really mad at you." Mei firmly said while looking out in the open sky.

Caught off guard, Yuzu narrowed her eyes and cleared her throat. She pulled her hand back and stared at the concrete driveway.

"The time we spent apart gave me a better perspective of things," Mei said, leaning back in the seat. Letting out a sigh, she grabbed a sheet of tissue paper in front of her. "When I was ten, my family had been involved in a scandal."

Yuzu looked to her side and noted Mei's worried expression. Step by step, she moved to the other side of the car. She opened the door slowly and sat on the driver's seat.

"I was at school when a teacher pulled me out of class. As we walked down the hallway, I noticed almost everyone looked at me as if they pitied me. One student shouted, 'Hey your mom is famous now. She's on TV.' The teacher pulled me closer and guided me to the gate," Mei said, closing her eyes. She then took a deep breath. As she opened her eyes slowly, she stared fixedly at the clouds in the sky.

Yuzu fixed her gaze at the the center of the steering wheel. She felt a heavy sensation forming in her chest.

"My father was outside the gate and he thanked the teacher for excusing me from class."

Yuzu slowly turned her face. She noted how Mei was struggling to control her emotions. She knew that Mei was trying so hard to hold back some tears.

"That day, my father took me to a hot air balloon ride in Tokyo. He knew how much I loved it. When we were up in the air, I broke down but he remained quiet... unperturbed," Mei said, almost choking on the last sentence.

"Mei," Yuzu whispered as she felt her heart sympathizing with Mei.

"I told him I didn't want to go back to school. I was terrified."

Yuzu reached for Mei's hand.

"He held me and in that moment, I felt safe. He said that it was okay to be terrified." Mei glanced to her left and looked at the beach house.

Almost instinctively, Yuzu's hand rested on Mei's right hand.

"I glanced up at him. 'As long as you're honest with yourself, you can overcome your fears,' he said while smiling at me."

Yuzu breathed in and leaned back in her seat almost heavily. She closed her eyes and her mind dwelled on Mei's story.

 _As long as you're honest with yourself._

Hearing the sound of the car door closing, Yuzu slightly jolted in her seat. She looked to her left and cried out for Mei's name but nothing came out of her lips. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even feel Mei had already left her. Watching the raven-haired walk toward the house, Yuzu just let out a deep sigh... probably of regret.

* * *

The following morning...

"Did you get enough sleep, last night?" Olivia said, her eyes followed Yuzu who just appeared in the kitchen.

Yuzu took a moment to stretch her arms and rub some sleep from her eyes.

"Would you like to have a cup of coffee?" Olivia cheerfully asked. She was especially upbeat and obviously in a good mood.

"Are all the people in Okinawa as cheerful as you are, Olivia? Yuzu said, softly massaging some tension from her shoulder.

Olivia grinned and pointed her hand toward the sun that was shining outside the glass windows. "It's a perfect day to go swimming."

With a sigh, Yuzu allowed her head to fall in the table.

"You woke up at the wrong side of the bed?" Olivia said, carefully turning each slice of the bacon strips. The kitchen was magically filled by the delicious scent of the sizzling bacon.

"It smells really good," Harumin said, inhaling the delightful scent while making her way inside the kitchen.

"Harumin, what are you wearing?" Yuzu exclaimed, creasing her brow.

"Relax, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, twirling in her place. "Isn't today the best time to go swimming and snorkeling. This is the swimsuit we bought last week." She proudly showed off her two-piece off the shoulder floral bikini.

"Looks like Ms. Taniguchi is ready for her photo shoot," Olivia said, waving the tongs at her camera. Then she poured in some coffee for Harumin.

"Yuzucchi, Olivia is a professional photographer. I told her we're gonna model for her today," Harumin said, taking the cup of coffee from Olivia. "Thank you. Is the Prez still having her beauty sleep?"

"Of course not! She's out there in the shore. She agreed to model for me as well!" Olivia gushed, draining the cooked bacon from the pan.

"I bet the Prez looks gorgeous in her swimsuit," Harumin said, walking toward Olivia. She then managed to take a piece of the sizzling bacon.

"That's so out of character!" Yuzu blurted out and stood up, creasing her brows.

Harumin and Olivia curiously turned their faces toward Yuzu's direction.

"I'm changing into my swimsuit," Yuzu said, turning around and stomping almost angrily out of the kitchen.

"I'll see you at the beach then, Yuzucchi," Harumin yelled, shaking her head sideways.

Olivia just chuckled. "My family has been taking care of Mei-san's beach house. When she visits Okinawa, she never wanted to stay here," she said, making some final touches for their breakfast.

"The Prez is really lucky, huh?" Harumin said, grabbing the DSLR camera. "Why do you insist on adding '-san' to our names, Olivia?"

"It's my way of being in touched with my Japanese roots. My mom's American but I was born and raised here," Olivia said, configuring some settings on the camera.

"That's cool," Harumin said, carefully observing what Olivia was doing. "What kind of photography do you do?"

"Sensual Photography," Olivia answered nonchalantly.

* * *

At the beach...

Yuzu looked around and admired the color of the sea that was flawlessly reflecting the sky. For a brief moment, she let the sound of the ocean waves soothe her. Taking a deep breath, she swore that the air had a combination of sweet scent from the sun and the smell of salt from the sea. It was so heart-warming that for a little while her racing thoughts calmed and her heart relaxed.

"Mmm." Yuzu closed her eyes and stretched her body.

"This is so relaxing," Harumin said, inhaling the morning scent of the sea.

"Can we stay like this forever?" Yuzu whispered, breathing in slowly.

"I wish." Harumin stretched out her arms in the air.

"Okay, girls. Are you ready for your photo shoot?" Olivia asked, holding her DSLR camera.

Yuzu and Harumin sighed for the last time while facing the sea. Then they turned around.

"Um, Olivia. What kind of photo shoot are we having?" Yuzu gently stroked her shoulder while looking at the white sand.

"So, I'm currently into sensual photography," Olivia said, looking at the sky and fixing her camera focus.

"Huh?" Yuzu gave Olivia one of her most surprised expressions, eyes narrowed and hand almost covering her mouth.

"Don't be too shocked, Yuzu-san. It's all about exploring the elegance of femininity," Olivia said, focusing her camera on Yuzu and snapping a photo of her.

"Yeah. Yuzucchi is still an innocent angel." Harumin chuckled, holding her belly.

Yuzu looked down to hide a blush of embarrassment that was settling on her cheeks. Turning her face to the side, her eyes widened. A girl in an elegant swimsuit walking slowly from a distance captured her attention. She thought her over sized beach hat perfectly matched the color of her swimsuit and her midnight black hair. Her heart started to race.

"Why does the Prez look good in almost anything?" Harumin clenched her jaw.

"Mei-san!" Olivia shouted, looking at Mei and waving her hand.

Startled, Mei stopped and reluctantly turned around. She wanted to spend the morning by herself. There was nothing like being alone in that moment... watching the waves ripple gently as she sank her feet in the sand soothed her nerves. She took a deep breath and walked slowly toward the three girls.

Yuzu could feel her heart beat faster. Although she had a peaceful moment earlier, it wasn't enough to keep her calm in that instant as Mei was getting closer. She looked away and fixed her gaze at something. Her eyes captured the ocean waves that were crashing on the shore.

"Mei-san!" Olivia yelled.

"Prez!"Harumin shouted.

Both of them were waving at Mei.

As Mei was getting nearer, Yuzu's heart raced faster. She closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh scent of the ocean. She took a deep breath and turned her body to look at Mei against her nervousness.

"Good morning," Mei greeted sternly, now standing in front of the three girls.

"You look beautiful as always, Mei-san. I wonder why you have never considered being a model." Olivia admiringly gazed at Mei.

"That's right, Prez." Harumin nodded approvingly while looking at Mei. Then she looked at Yuzu who was slightly avoiding an eye contact with Mei. "Yuzucchi, don't you agree that the Prez can be a model?"

Yuzu could feel a slight rush of heat creeping on her neck that was quickly making its way on her cheeks. Clearing her throat, she lifted her head and nervously made an eye contact with Mei.

"Yeah," Yuzu said, smiling and crinkling her nose against her anxiousness.

Mei slightly tilted her head while keeping an eye contact with Yuzu. Then she shifted her gaze at Harumin and Olivia. "You're feeding my ego," she said, giving them a half-smile. "I'm not buying it."

"That's the truth," Yuzu whispered to herself and stared at the ocean.

Mei arched her brow and looked at Yuzu.

"You know what sensual photography is, right?" Olivia interjected, slowly stepping away from them.

Letting out a sigh, Mei looked at Olivia. "It's easy to understand," she said with a slight frown.

"Alright, girls. Embrace your femininity," Olivia said, making a gesture for them to move closer to the ocean while her other hand was holding the camera.

Harumin took off her sunglasses and quickly fixed her hair. Then she jumped from her place and shook her hands. "I thought this was going to be easy," she said, turning her face to Yuzu.

Yuzu took a deep breath while moving closer to the ocean. She glanced at Mei and noticed a certain calmness in her aura and how the ocean breeze playfully danced with her black hair as she slowly took off her hat. Yuzu unconsciously sighed in delight.

Harumin playfully did a sexy pose.

"Being sensual is different from being sexy," Olivia said, moving closer to the girls and guiding them with their poses.

"Huh?" Yuzu furrowed her brow and looked at Olivia.

"To be sensual is to feel alive," Olivia said, pausing and instructing the girls to look at the camera. "It's being playful in the present moment."

"Deep stuff, Olivia," Harumin said, playfully striking her sexy pose at the camera.

Olivia giggled. "It's all about being subtle. Follow your nose, Harumi-san. You can strike a much more appealing pose this way."

Harumi straightened herself and took a deep breath. "Thanks for the tip, Olivia," Harumin said, shaking both of her hands.

"Just look at how how beautiful Mei-san's poses are," Olivia said, locking in her camera at Mei.

Yuzu turned to her side. She let out another sigh of delight as she watched how elegantly Mei moved her body and played with the camera.

"Beautiful, Mei-san," Olivia cooed, checking the photos on the camera display.

Squinting her eyes in the bright light, Harumin sighed. "I need to get us some sunscreen," she said, politely excusing herself from everyone. Slowly, she walked toward the house.

"Yuzu-san, I want to get a good shot of you," Olivia said, slowly stepping away from Yuzu and Mei. "I want you to show your fearless side, alright?" she said, getting herself low to the sand and pointing the camera at Yuzu.

Yuzu shook her head and buried her feet in the sand. "How should I do that?" she said, creasing her brows.

"Close your eyes and take a deep breath," Olivia said, pausing and positioning her camera. "Think of someone you truly and deeply love."

Closing her eyes, Yuzu inhaled the scent of the ocean, once more. Then her mind effortlessly drifted into an image of a hallway where she was standing in front of the person she cared the most.

"How does it feel like to lock eyes with someone whom you deeply care about and love?" Olivia said, looking at the LCD monitor of the camera.

Yuzu's lips curled and her head moved slightly and unconsciously.

"Yuzu-san, when that person stares at you lovingly and without a warning touches your face gently, what do you feel?" Olivia sat on the sand and positioned her camera just at the right angle.

Eyes still closed, Yuzu parted her lips slightly and arched her back.

Mei curiously glanced at Yuzu. She noticed a particular look on Yuzu, an expression she would always have before a kiss.

"Excellent job, Yuzu-san." Olivia moved closer and angled her camera to get three-quarter shots of Yuzu.

Mei took a deep breath subtly and turned her face away. Her stare was now fixed at the ocean. Then slowly, she moved away from Yuzu and Olivia.

On the other hand, Yuzu was getting lost into the hallway scene in her mind. She relished how it felt like looking into Mei's lavender eyes. Yuzu let out a sigh and slightly tilted her head back.

"You're blowing me away, Yuzu-san. You're sensuality personified," Olivia said, placing her hand on her heart like a mother being proud of her child. "Such a fast learner."

Drifting back to reality, Yuzu opened her eyes slowly and smiled at Olivia. She looked to her right and noted Mei was gone. She narrowed her eyes and turned around.

"Mei-san," Olivia cried out. "Please, come back."

Mei kept walking a few more steps before finally stopping. She took a deep breath and slowly turned around. She noticed how intense Yuzu's stare was.

"Mei," Yuzu spoke under her breath while looking almost longingly at Mei.

"I have never done this before." Olivia said, configuring her camera. "But I'll seize this opportunity and take some shots of you and Mei-san."

Olivia's words fell on deaf ears as Yuzu's attention was completely tuned in to Mei's direction.

Purposely looking away from Yuzu, Mei glided gracefully toward them.

Olivia dashed toward Mei as soon as she was getting nearer. "Mei-san," she said, pausing and brushing her hair with one hand while holding the camera with the other. She leaned in to whisper.

Confused, Yuzu arched her brow. Her eyes lingered at the sight of Olivia whispering to Mei.

 _What is Olivia saying to Mei?_

A few minutes in, Yuzu tapped her foot and twisted her lips.

 _Why are they taking so long?_

Staring intensely at them, Yuzu squinted her eyes. Then they were met by Mei's. The blonde quickly looked at the sky. Peripherally, she detected Mei was nodding in agreement to whatever Olivia was whispering.

Pulling away, Olivia slowly turned toward Yuzu's direction. "Thanks, Mei-san," she said while walking beside Mei.

Taking a double deep breath, Yuzu watched them move toward her.

"It's my first time to do this but I completely trust in you, girls," Olivia said, taking a few steps back and adjusting her camera angle.

Tilting her head, Yuzu stared at Olivia. She then turned her face to Mei. "Mei, what is Olivia talking about?"

"Now, Yuzu-san, look at me," Olivia said, pointing her camera at the two girls. "Slightly part your lips and follow your nose as you turn your face slowly to look at Mei-san."

With a sigh, Yuzu conceded. Almost instinctively, her face turned to look at Mei. She noted Mei's half-lidded eyes were glancing at the camera, almost seducing it.

"Oh, goodness," Olivia delightfully uttered as her camera followed Mei and Yuzu's facial movements.

Mei parted her lips and moved closer to Yuzu but she kept her gaze fixed at the camera.

"This is what sensuality is," Olivia said, silently snapping photos of them while moving quietly.

Almost unconsciously, Yuzu moved in closer to Mei and closed her eyes. Breathing in deeply, she inhaled the sweet lavender scent with traces of amber and orange blossom that Mei was wearing.

Mei raised her hand and placed her slender fingers over Yuzu's lips to which Yuzu unconsciously kissed.

Yuzu's hand wrapped around Mei's waist and she pulled her closer.

"Goodness," Olivia delightfully gushed, lowering herself to get a better angle of Mei and Yuzu.

Yuzu brushed her nose against Mei's and took a deep breath. Slowly opening her eyes and turning her face to the camera, Yuzu looked at it with half-lidded eyes. She was getting lost in the moment. Her nervousness was being silenced by her growing desire.

"Damn! If I didn't know you any better, I would think you two can make a beautiful couple," Olivia said, playing to their confidence while moving around.

Yuzu possessively wrapped her right arm around Mei's neck as if she was claiming her. She didn't even care that Olivia was around. Bending her head slightly, she slowly turned and gave the camera her most seductive look.

Olivia took a deep breath and smiled at Yuzu and Mei. "Bravo!"

"Did you get the shot you were looking for, Olivia," Mei asked, looking at Olivia.

"Yes. Lots of them," Olivia answered, still snapping some shots.

"Yuzu, let go." Mei lowered her voice into a whisper. "We're done."

Still in her trance-like state, Yuzu stood there ravishing her eyes at Mei's sight while holding her.

Mei let out a sigh and looked away. In that instant, she wanted to unwrap Yuzu's arm from her neck. Instead, she kissed her on the cheek.

Instantly, Yuzu was brought back to reality. Her half-lidded eyes widened and she stared at Mei. She unwrapped her arms slowly.

"Crap," Olivia cursed, clenching her fist. "My battery is getting low. I'm going to get a spare battery," she said excusing herself. She hurriedly walked toward the house.

"It's better for us to get in the house, too." Mei turned around and slowly stepped back from Yuzu.

Yuzu could feel the warm sensation that settled in her stomach and she didn't know what to do. For a moment, Yuzu wanted to get in the house. But her hand quickly grabbed Mei's arm. "Mei," she said with a pleading look.

"With a sigh, Mei made an eye contact with Yuzu. "What do you want?," she asked with a slight shiver in her voice.

"I really care about you, Mei," Yuzu said in a heartbeat.

Mei's stare turned into a glower. "You're not ready, Yuzu."

Letting Mei's arm go, Yuzu looked at the white sand. She felt her heart slowly being crushed. Almost instantly, her eyes became a little watery.

Leaning in closer, Mei kissed Yuzu on the lips then immediately pulled away. "We can't be more than friends, Yuzu. This will be our last kiss." Slowly, Mei turned around and let out a sigh. Her mind told her to walk toward the house but her feet were not obliging. She could feel her cheeks getting warmer.

Yuzu made a step forward and turned around to be face to face with Mei. As quickly as Mei broke off the kiss, Yuzu kissed her and buried her fingers in her jet black hair and unconsciously pushed her leg between Mei's. Mei couldn't even think of pushing her away.

There was something terrifying yet delightful in that moment. Yuzu could not understand why it was so sensual to kiss Mei knowing that they could be caught at any moment.

Arching her back, Mei moaned into Yuzu's lips. Then she felt a warm hand caressing her lower back. As Yuzu's lips trailed down her neck, she let out a whimper. Almost instinctively, she let Yuzu access to her sensitive spot by tilting her head back. She moaned again as Yuzu caressed her with passionate kisses.

"Yuzu, stop," she said between her moans. "We can't do this."

Yuzu worked her way up to Mei's chin, kissing and teasing her.

Mei tried again as she placed her hand on Yuzu's shoulder, softly pushing her away.  
"We can't be," she said, pausing and gasping, "more than friends."

Yuzu couldn't think of a better way to respond to Mei's statement. She stood there looking all confused.

Mei slowly walked toward the house, leaving Yuzu behind.

* * *

The following morning...

Closing her eyes, Yuzu slowly sipped her fresh pineapple juice with a straw and witnessed how time stood still with every sip. As the fresh juice glided over her tongue, she swore that for a brief moment, the sharpness of Mei's last words magically vanished from her memory. " This is so heavenly," she said, sighing and opening her eyes.

"It's the best pineapple juice I have ever tasted," Harumin said, taking a slow sip of her own glass of pineapple juice.

Olivia laughed. "Don't you have any fresh pineapple juice in Tokyo?"

Yuzu and Harumin slowly nodded their heads sideways.

"Let me pour you some more," Olivia said, amused by how the girls moved their glasses almost autmotatically toward her. She lifted the pitcher and smiled at them.

"I want to see the photos you took yesterday, Olivia," Harumin said, pulling back her glass with her fresh refill. "How did you become a photographer? I wanna be like you someday."

Before Olivia had the chance to respond to Harumin, her eyes darted toward Mei who was casually wearing a blue overcoat and a pair of white skinny jeans.

Yuzu turned around in her seat and she noted how the light from the room beautifully reflected on Mei's hair.

"Hey, Prez. Do you have somewhere to go?" Harumin asked, gripping her glass. Then she slowly took a sip of the content.

"Good morning, Taniguchi-san," Mei responded sternly while nodding at Harumin then at the rest of the girls. Then she slowly walked toward the door.

"Mei-san, have some pineapple juice before you go." Olivia poured the beverage into a glass. Then she walked over to Mei and handed it.

"Thank you, Olivia," Mei said, taking the glass of juice. She noticed that Yuzu had been looking at her.

"Where are you heading, Prez?" Harumin interjected, tilting her head up to look at Mei.

"Gima Yomitan," Mei casually answered.

"We can all go there, Mei-san. It's an amazing place." Olivia turned her face to look at Yuzu. "Yuzu-san, get ready. From what I heard, they're having a hot air balloon festival."

Even though Yuzu felt that Mei probably didn't like for them to go with her, it was very tempting to say 'yes' in that moment. But with how Mei ended their potential romantic relationship yesterday, Yuzu felt it wasn't the right time to tag along with her.

But then she thought of how Mei looked at her during the photo shoot and the way she touched her and held her face. Then the memories in the park and of the kiss they shared in the office flooded her mind. She bit her lower lip, remembering how Mei returned her kisses yesterday. Almost instantly her lack of bravery dissolved.

"Yes, I'd like to go," she said with a renewed spirit. "I'd like to see how amazing the place really is."

Letting out a sigh, Mei looked at Olivia. "You can drive them there but I'll have to go now," Mei said, handing the half-empty glass to Olivia. Then the rest of the girls chaotically hurried to their rooms leaving Mei alone. As she moved toward the door, she stopped and took a deep breath.

* * *

Almost seven hours had passed, they were finally at Yomitan. When they left the house in the morning, they were greeted by a sudden heavy rain. They had no choice but to wait for the rain to stop.

It was unusually quiet at the beach when they arrived. The water was so clear that they could see some colorful fishes swimming. There were not so many people around.

"I wanna live here, someday," Harumin said, closing her eyes and stretching the length of her body.

"We gotta find Mei," Yuzu insisted, grabbing Harumin's arm and dragging her forward to follow Olivia's lead.

"Right. Yuzucchi. What has gotten into you?"

Yuzu stopped, sighing and letting Harumin's arm go. Her mind dwelled on her question.

 _What has gotten into me?_

Unconsciously, her feet moved forward as her mind drifted into several images of the events she had with Mei. A particular scene at the office lingered.

"Yuzucchi, wait up! You're walking so fast."

No matter how loud Harumin's voice was, it wasn't able to get Yuzu's attention. The blonde's mind was so focused on figuring out the reason for her fear that it automatically blocked any external noise.

"Dammit!" Yuzu cursed under her breath. "If I really care about Mei, I should not be scared to show her how I feel," she muttered, shaking her head. She took a deep breath and looked ahead of her. She noted Olivia was busy on her phone. Looking around, Yuzu noticed a crowd from a distance. There were also several colorful fabrics on the ground.

"Hey, Yuzucchi," Harumin ran toward Yuzu but the corner of her eye darted toward the beach. Then she looked at where Yuzu was gazing. "Holy Moly! This place never fails to amaze me." Her eyes were now targeting the deflated hot air balloons on the ground.

"Mei-san," Olivia cried out as soon as she spotted Mei.

Immediately, Yuzu darted her gaze toward where Olivia was looking. Her heart was thudding with elation. In that instant, she couldn't feel any fear anymore. Was she ready to finally admit her true feelings? Or was it another bout of enthusiasm that would soon collapse?

Was she ready to throw away the idea of being rejected for the sake of love?

Yuzu looked in front of her and readied her gears. Her body almost instinctively glided along with the wind. She would always feel a tinge of weight on her feet when put in situations like this but the heaviness did not manifest.

The three girls ran toward where the hot air balloons and the crowd of people were. From where they were, the distance was a good... exhausting form of exercise. But Yuzu kept smiling to herself despite the slight nervousness she was feeling.

Almost effortlessly, Yuzu ran past Olivia.

"Yuzu-san," Olivia shouted, gasping and bending her knees slightly. "You're a fast runner."

"Yuzucchi," Harumin yelled as she slowed her pace to a walk.

Yuzu reluctantly stopped. She took a deep breath and slowly turned toward Olivia and Harumin. "I'm just excited for the hot air balloon festival," she said, crinkling her eyes and nose.

"For the love of God, I'm not getting into one," Harumin said, brushing her hair with her hand. Then she fixed her top and walked toward Yuzu.

Olivia straightened her back and walked toward Yuzu and Harumin. "Last week, there was a minor incident involving a hot air balloon," Olivia said, clutching to the strap of her camera.

'Huh?!" Harumin shockingly looked at Olivia.

Olivia sighed. "A guy wanted to propose to his girlfriend. Unfortunately the hot air balloon..."

"Nope," Yuzu said, interrupting and turning away from them. "I don't want to hear that type of story. Not today." She walked ahead, making firm movements. Before she knew it, she was already at the festival's location.

Yuzu stopped to catch some air. There were so many people in the area. Some came in groups and some came as couples and all of them wore an expression of excitement on their faces. Moving around the area politely, Yuzu felt her heart beat faster but with a sense of lightness, this time. It didn't hurt anymore.

"Yuzu," someone from the crowd said.

With a smirk on her face, Yuzu stopped. Then the smirk turned into a smile. She lifted her head and turned around.

"Mei," Yuzu said, smiling and walking toward Mei. As soon as she reached her, she grabbed her arm and gently dragged her.

"Let go," Mei sternly said.

"We're going on a hot air balloon ride," Yuzu said with a certain firmness in her voice.

Raising an eyebrow, Mei stopped and tried to loosen her arm from Yuzu's grip. "Why?"

Before Yuzu turned around, she looked at the man who was setting up a balloon.

"Girls, this balloon is available. Get inside now," the man said, making a gesture for them to get in. The basket was enough to fit four people including the pilot.

Yuzu dragged Mei again. She got inside first while still holding onto Mei's arm. Mei wanted to back out but the pilot had a serious and almost impatient expression on his face while he looked at them. Yuzu helped her get inside the basket.

"We're gonna have fun with this bad boy," the pilot said as they lifted off the ground.

"You didn't answer my question, Yuzu," Mei said, glaring at the girl in front of her. Then she glanced at the pilot who was faced away from them and was focused on navigating the ride.

Yuzu felt unusually confident. Mei's glare didn't cause her to step back or crouch down in fear. She looked at Mei straight in the eye.

"What?" Mei tilted her head and let out a sigh of annoyance. Becoming a little irritated, she turned to her side and gazed at the sky. The sun was about to set and it was the most stunning time of the day.

"Daisuki Desu," Yuzu profoundly uttered. She slightly looked down then quickly lifted her head. Swiftly, she grabbed Mei's hand. "I love you," Yuzu said, pausing and placing Mei's hand over her heart. She closed her eyes then slowly opened it. "I really love you."

Mei closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel every beat of Yuzu's heart. In that moment, she felt connected to something beyond her understanding. She slowly opened her slightly watery eyes. Yuzu gently touched her cheek and wiped a tear that escaped from her eye.

Then Mei pulled her hand back and turned away from Yuzu. She stepped forward and gazed across the view of the beautiful countryside.

Yuzu was left startled. Her eyes widened. At times like this, she would often let fear take over her. She sighed deeply and grabbed Mei's hand.

"You told me before that your biggest fear is not knowing what love is," Yuzu said, choking with emotions. She pressed Mei's hand. "My biggest fear, right now, is not being turned down by you but walking away from you without letting you know how much I really love you."

The raven-haired kept herself turned away from Yuzu.

"I don't care if you're not going to accept my feelings. It doesn't matter, Mei," Yuzu said with all conviction. "As long as I'm being honest with myself and as long as you know how I truly feel about you," she said, pausing. She watched Mei turn her face toward her.

Mei pulled Yuzu closer and kissed her on the lips. Startled, Yuzu widened her eyes as Mei passionately kissed her. Then she melted in the moment and returned the kiss. The sunset was the perfect witness of that moment. As the lavenders in the sky flawlessly blended with the colors of blue and orange, Mei and Yuzu had been perfectly coalesced by their kiss.

Mei gently pulled away while maintaining her gaze at Yuzu. "You're silly," she said, whispering.

The pilot burst out laughing. "You're still aware that I'm here?" he said, chortling.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yuzu said and bowed at the pilot.

"You don't have to be sorry about love, Kid," he said, smiling at Yuzu then at Mei. "It's rare to see a love so pure that you, kids, are melting my heart," he said, chuckling. Then he wore a serious expression on his face. "Your love will get you through everything, hold on to it." He turned away from the girls and focused on flying the hot air balloon and bringing them to an altitude that gave them a panoramic view of the gorgeous place.

Slightly glancing up at Mei, Yuzu leaned in to kiss her but Mei softy placed her slender finger over Yuzu's lips. "You're the most beautiful person I have ever laid my eyes on," Yuzu said while looking lovingly at Mei.

Mei let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. Then she leaned in and gave Yuzu her most awaited kiss. It was quick but so endearing.

"Does that mean you're my girlfriend, now, Mei?" Yuzu tilted her head but her eyes were locked on Mei's.

Mei slightly looked away but Yuzu noted a slight pinkish tinge on her cheeks. She lifted her head and looked at Yuzu.

Yuzu looked at her expectantly.

"Isn't it obvious?" Mei said, glancing through her lashes with a half smile and a raised eyebrow.

Narrowing her eyes, Yuzu covered her mouth with her hands. For a moment, she was speechless. When Mei's answer finally sank in, she jumped.

Grabbing Yuzu's arm, Mei stopped her from jumping. "You can't jump in here, Yuzu," she said, slightly raising her voice and quickly looking at the pilot to see if he was disturbed. But his gaze was glued at the magnificent view across the field below them.

"I have the most gorgeous girlfriend," Yuzu said, pausing and lowering her voice, "in the world." Then she leaned in and gave Mei another passionate kiss. In the heat of the moment, Yuzu lowered her lips to Mei's neck. Parting her lips, she perfectly targeted a spot and instinctively marked it which caused Mei to let out a soft moan.

Mei gently pushed Yuzu a few centimeters away. She leaned in and whispered in her ear. "We can't do this here."

* * *

To be continued...

I'm sorry to keep you waiting and for the long chapter. But thank you so much for reading the story and for sharing your thoughts. I always appreciate them. I was supposed to cut this chapter into two but I thought it was a crime to do so as I will be taking a break from posting. It will only be for 20 to 24 days, I guess. When I get back home, I'll try to focus on writing again. Thank you and take care, always. 3


	11. Chapter 11 - New Beginning

Chapter 11 - New Beginning

* * *

Mei gently pushed Yuzu a few centimeters away. She leaned in and whispered in her ear. "We can't do this here."

With a slight gasp, Yuzu pulled herself back and settled her gaze at Mei.

"It's enough, Yuzu," Mei said, pausing and softly pressing Yuzu's left shoulder, "for now."

Yuzu's lips curled into a smile as she looked at Mei with sparkle in her eyes. It felt so surreal that she even pinched herself.

"What are you doing?" Mei said, arching her brow at Yuzu. Then as the balloon slightly descended, she clutched the edge of the basket and stretched her neck, inhaling the fresh scent of the afternoon breeze.

With a smile, Yuzu slipped her arm into Mei's. "This is amazing," Yuzu said, casting a glance through the corner of her eye at her girlfriend who was relishing the moment. Then she looked out into the view.

As the gentle wind blew through her jet black hair, Mei replied with a slow nod. She kept her eyes closed as she took in the serenity of the tranquil wind.

Yuzu pointed at another balloon that was floating along with theirs. "Mei, look!"

The pilot playfully dipped the balloon down. "Oh, no!" Yuzu cried out, locking her arm tighter with Mei's.

Mei reached out and touched the treetops with her other hand as they were now grazing a few of them.

As Yuzu turned to look at Mei, her heart pounded upon noticing how the raven-haired was touching the treetops with a certain glow in her eyes.

 _I really love her._

"What?" Mei said, raising her left brow and casting a glance at Yuzu from the corner of her eye. She rested her hands on the basket's edge.

"Mei," Yuzu said, lowering her voice to a soft whisper while leaning in closer. "You're beautiful when you're happy."

Mei straightened her back and took a deep breath. Delight showed through her straight face. Turning slightly to her side, she fixed her gaze at Yuzu.

Yuzu responded with crinkled eyes and nose. A few moments in, not a single word was exchanged. Mei kept a steady eye contact with Yuzu.

 _Why is she looking at me like that?_

Letting out a sigh of disappointment, Mei looked out over the sea while pressing her hands tighter on the edge of the basket. "That could have been a perfect moment for a kiss," she said in a low whisper, her gaze now darting toward the sky.

With creased brows and a pout, Yuzu turned her face away and settled her stare at the sunset. Her mind dwelt on Mei's words. Then she leaned back and snapped her fingers

 _That's her way of asking for a kiss?_

Reaching out for Mei's hand, Yuzu intertwined their fingers. She gently touched Mei's face with her other hand, bringing it closer to hers until they were openly and widely gazing. For one last time, they shared a kiss. It felt freeing and exciting. Then it turned into two kisses, then three to infinity.

They never even noticed that the pilot dipped the balloon closer to the sea. As he lifted the balloon back up, the new couple gently pulled away from each other. Their breathing and heartbeats synchronized.

"Okay kids, we're gonna land anytime soon so better get ready," the pilot said in his raspy voice.

Yuzu and Mei clutched the basket as the pilot expertly maneuvered the balloon for a smooth landing. With jittery hands, Yuzu rested her right hand over Mei's. "I'm so scared," Yuzu said, pressing Mei's hand tightly.

With a deep sigh, Mei allowed her hand to be tortured... to be pressed against her will.

But the wind was so calm that their touchdown was as smooth as silk, graceful and gentle.

Stretching both of her arms, Yuzu closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air of the countryside. "This was so amazing," she said, clasping the back of her head. Yuzu lost her balance and fell onto Mei as the balloon finally settled.

"Clumsy," Mei said, grabbing both of Yuzu's shoulders as she softly pushed her forward.

Yuzu smiled and nodded with a blush of embarrassment. Upon gaining back her composure, Yuzu stepped out of the basket first. Glancing up at Mei from the side of her face, she flicked her hand open like a cavalier. "Aihara-san," she said, teasing and bowing her head slightly.

Letting out a sigh, Mei cast a glare at Yuzu.

"Yuzucchi!" Harumin shouted at the top of her lungs, instantly catching the attention of the new couple and of everyone around.

"Mei-san!" Olivia cried out, waving both of her hands.

Startled, Yuzu straightened her back and gazed across the field. Her eyes targeted at the camped van that was moving toward their direction.

As the van stopped a few meters away from them, they watched Harumin step out of the vehicle with a little cupcake on her hand. Yuzu pressed herself closer to Mei.

"Happy birthday, Yuzucchi," Harumin said in a loud voice, her face was brimming with joy and happiness as she walked toward Yuzu and Mei. "We got this cupcake from a pop up store in the festival. Thought about surprising you."

"We couldn't find a candle so a couple of matchsticks would do," Olivia said as she walked beside Harumin. Excitement was obvious on their faces.

"Kiddo, have a great one. Didn't even know it was your birthday," the pilot said, shouting as he deflated the balloon after the ride.

"Make a wish, Yuzucchi," Harumin said upon reaching Yuzu and Mei. She sighed. "We should light these matchsticks first," she continued, moving her head from side to side until her stare settled at the pilot.

"Of course! You need something to light those sticks with, huh?" the pilot said, pulling a golden cigarette lighter from his pocket as he walked toward them. Upon reaching them, with a smirk on his face, he had said, "You already got your wish, Kid."

"No, no! I was just curious about what you were doing. Besides, we bought a box of match earlier," Harumin said, quipping as she raised a brow at the pilot. Shifting her gaze toward Yuzu, Harumin leaned forward with a furrowed brow. "What did you get, Yuzucchi?"

Yuzu froze and stared fixedly at the cupcake. Her heart was almost leapt into her throat.

"Blow them quickly, Yuzu-san," Olivia said, hissing after lighting the matchsticks on the cupcake. Then she pointed her camera at Yuzu.

In one swift yet gentle blow, the fire stopped burning. Yuzu felt she found the missing piece of her jigsaw puzzle. Everything was effortlessly falling into place. She glanced up through the corner of her eye and smiled at Mei.

* * *

Back at the beach house...

It was about to hit midnight. Yuzu stretched her body and stood up from the beige sofa. She was the only one awake watching the credits at the end of a movie. Halfway through The Notebook, Harumin and Olivia succumbed to slumber to Yuzu's disappointment.

Mei refused to watch a movie with them and went to bed early, even though Yuzu used all her tricks and bluffs to convince her.

"I wish Mei was here," Yuzu spoke under her breath as she grabbed the remote control. Casting a glance at her sleeping companions, she sighed regretfully thinking it was such a crime to fall asleep while watching her favorite movie.

 _I'm thirsty._

Leaving her friends behind, she made her way over the kitchen. As she was about to slide the slightly open door, a sudden loud noise against the kitchen made Yuzu almost leap into something. Her knees were shaking and her heart was pounding.

"Mei should be asleep, by now," she said, whispering to herself. Taking a double breath, she searched for something that could serve as a weapon. Looking around, her eyes darted toward the long stem wooden flower vase and grabbed it. With a lot of care, she removed the flower in it and positioned herself outside, ready to hit the intruder.

Fifteen minutes had passed, her arms were becoming heavier and number.

"Yuzu."

Yuzu's heart almost missed a beat upon hearing her name. Letting her arms fall, she bent her head down and shook it from side to side. Then she finally slid the door open.

Mei slightly squinted her eyes at Yuzu who was staring fixedly at her.

"How long have you been standing there?" Mei said, lifting an eyebrow and her head in unison.

"Oh, yeah," Yuzu said, immediately straightening the front of her shirt while her other hand was holding the wooden vase. "Why are you still awake, Mei?" she continued as she walked inside.

Mei stood up from the saddle chair and took a deep breath. Gripping a cup of hot chocolate, she walked toward the glass window and darted her gaze toward the vast sky, mesmerized by the glowing constellations.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Yuzu said as she admiringly gazed at the night sky. With her finger, she made a show of connecting the stars into patterns and shapes. But there was just one pattern that she couldn't trace. Hunching her shoulders, she sighed in defeat. "Why can't I make a heart-shaped pattern?"

Sliding the window open, Mei inhaled the midnight scent of the ocean. As the night breeze touched her cheeks, she closed her eyes, taking in the the calmness of the moment.

Looking at how calm Mei was, Yuzu couldn't help but smile and let her girlfriend relish that peaceful moment. She moved closer and stood beside her. Taking a deep breath in, she felt a certain quiet elation where everything stood still.

As Mei opened her eyes, she let out a sigh of contentment. Glancing sideways, she quietly watched Yuzu inhale the moment.

"I can stay here forever," Yuzu said under her breath with her eyes closed, silently hoping to get a response from Mei.

"Yuzu, you're smiling to yourself," Mei said, both palms gripped on the cup of hot chocolate, letting the warmth contrast the cool breeze.

"It's my birthday, Mei," Yuzu said in a whisper as she turned her face to make an eye contact with Mei.

"Then, happy birthday, Yuzu," Mei said after taking a slow sip of her drink. "Technically, it's not your birthday anymore," she continued, casting a glance at the silver clock on the wall.

Slumping her shoulders, Yuzu's bright smile turned into a pout. She cast a glance at the clock and sorrowfully sighed, wondering how Mei could be so unintentionally yet playfully cruel. Then a ring from the living room cut her from her thoughts. Almost like a reflex, her legs dashed outside the kitchen. Quickly, she grabbed her phone and chuckled upon noting Harumin's slightly opened mouth.

 **"Mama,"** Yuzu said in a soft whisper as she made her way back to the kitchen.

 **"Happy birthday, Yuzu!"** Ume said, yelling. Her voice made Yuzu almost jump from her place.

 **"It's not my birthday anymore, Mama,"** she said, lowering her voice with a slight defeated tone. **"Did you have to work overtime? Don't wear yourself out, okay?"**

 **"I'm still at work but don't worry about me, Yuzu. I love what I do,"** Ume said in her most reassuring tone.

Listening to her mother's voice, Yuzu smiled. Then from the corner of her eye, she cast a glance at Mei who was scanning some pages of a book. As she sat on the saddle chair beside Mei, Yuzu's eyes crinkled when her gaze was suddenly met by her girlfriend's.

 **"Yuzu, when you come back to Tokyo, we'll have dinner to celebrate your birthday,"** Ume said, mouth wide open.

 **"You don't have to and Mama you sound tired,"** Yuzu said, propping her elbow on the counter.

 **"Do you have someone with you, Yuzu?"**

Yuzu hesitated to respond for a moment.

"Is that your mother?" Mei said, tucking a strand of hair in a subtle way while looking fixedly at a page on her book.

Instantly recognizing Mei's voice, Ume said, hissing, **"Is that Mei-chan? Can I talk to her?"**

Yuzu smiled in a nervous way and brushed the back of her hair with her other hand. Leaning over to Mei, she covered her phone and said in a whisper, "Mama wants to talk to you, Mei."

Flicking her palm open, Mei lifted her brows. "Let me speak with her."

Yuzu creased her brows and cast a doubtful look at Mei, wondering if Mei was serious.

"Alright. It seems you don't want me to," Mei said with a sigh while turning the page of a book.

Although a little reluctant, Yuzu moved the phone toward Mei's open hand.

 **"Mei-chan,"** Ume said, gushing. Mei almost jolted in her seat. **"Thank you for letting Yuzu stay at your place."**

Tilting her head with a tight-lipped smile, she cast a glance at Yuzu.

 _Why isn't Mei speaking?_

 **"Yuzu can be a handful but I think she likes you. I'm sorry for any trouble she's causing you,"** Ume casually said.

Mei made a show of coughing to conceal what could have been a chuckle or a smile.

This time it was Yuzu's turn to arch a brow at her girlfriend.

 _What is Mama saying to her?_

 **"I hope you're not stressing out too much with work, Okogi-san,"** Mei said in a stern way yet gentleness was obvious in her voice. Glancing at Yuzu, she noticed her slightly watery eyes.

Yuzu twitched upon feeling Mei's hand on her cheek.

 **"I'll let you speak with Yuzu, now, Okogi-san,"** Mei said, wiping a tear at the corner of Yuzu's eye. As she was about to draw her hand back, Yuzu quickly grabbed it.

Taking the phone from Mei, Yuzu kept a steady eye contact with her as she kissed her palm. With gentleness, she let her hand go.

 **"You heard it from Aihara-san, Mama. Don't stress yourself too much,"** Yuzu said, teasing and giggling. Both of her elbows propped on the countertop.

Noting how Yuzu was getting caught up in the conversation with her mother, Mei walked toward the door in a silent and subtle way. Before exiting, she turned her face to see Yuzu once more. Feeling a sudden thud in her chest, she placed her palm close to her heart.

She wondered if she was finally overcoming her deepest fear.

As Mei made her way to her room, she looked to her right and noticed Olivia and Harumin sleeping peacefully on the sofa. With a few more strides, she reached her room. A small gift box on her bed greeted her as she opened the door. With a sigh, she opened the box, wondering if Yuzu would appreciate it.

What was she thinking days before their Okinawan trip?

Removing the jewelry from the box, she took a deep breath as her thumb traced the emerald pattern of the bracelet.

Than came a knock.

"Mei, are you there?" Yuzu said. Apprehension was showing in her voice.

With another sigh, Mei placed the bracelet back in the box. As she pulled the bedside drawer, for a moment, she hesitated to put the box inside.

"Hey, Mei!"

Mei looked at the door and before she knew it, Yuzu swung it open. Without a second thought, she dropped the box inside the drawer and pushed it closed, almost slamming it. "Don't you know how to wait?"

"I was worried about you, Mei," Yuzu said, holding her hands behind her back. "And you just left me there," she continued, slightly looking away from Mei.

"Is that all?" Mei asked with a bit of suspicion in her voice.

"And you know," Yuzu said, stammering. She lifted her head and made an eye contact with Mei. "It was my birthday and you didn't give me anything yet."

Mei raised her chin and kept a steady eye contact with Yuzu. "What do you want as a gift?"

A rush of heat crept up Yuzu's neck, quickly making its way up her cheeks. Her knees started to feel weak. "Uhmm, you know," she said, pressing her fingers behind her back.

"I won't know unless you tell me," Mei said, arching a brow and walking slowly toward Yuzu. "What do you want as a gift for your birthday, Yuzu?"

Slumping her shoulders, Yuzu sighed and closed her eyes in a forceful way.

 _Say it, Yuzu. Say you want a kiss._

Yuzu covered her face with both hands and shook her head.

"What can you possibly want?" Mei's voice lowered to a whisper. With a few strides, she was now behind Yuzu, breathing in her ear. "Tell me. What exactly do you want?"

The heat from Mei's breath caused Yuzu to arch her back.

"I'm not a mind reader." Mei whispered again, tucking Yuzu's locks in front of her left shoulder, exposing the side of her neck, nape and her ear.

Yuzu jolted and felt a tingling sensation race in her belly.

"You're not answering me," Mei said, lowering her lips on the side of Yuzu's nape.

Almost instantly, the tingling sensation spread throughout Yuzu's body like a mini lightning bolt causing her to let out a soft whimper. Yuzu's knees wobbled and her hands were slightly shaking.

"What do you want?" Mei said, softly breathing in Yuzu's exposed skin.

Yuzu deepened her breath. The dizzying sensation she felt from the heat of Mei's breath made her weaker and unable to resist anything that Mei would do.

Slowly and quietly, Mei moved in front of Yuzu. She noted Yuzu's slightly opened mouth and closed eyes . "Is the room temperature making you feel uncomfortable?" Mei said, looking at her helpless girlfriend whose blush was searing through her cheeks. "I should probably lower the temperature or open the window," she said in her sultry voice. "It's a little hot and humid in here, isn't it?"

The billions of cells in Yuzu's body were racing uncontrollably leaving her unable to think straight.

A little amused, Mei snapped her fingers which brought Yuzu back from her hypnotic trance.

Placing her hand against the side of her neck, Yuzu straightened the length of her body and let out a sigh. She opened her eyes and glanced at Mei through her lashes.

"I'll just open the window," Mei said, turning around. As she made a couple of steps forward, Yuzu grabbed her hand.

"I want a kiss from you," Yuzu said in her silvery voice, pressing Mei's hand tighter.

"I see," Mei said in a whisper.

"That's what I want," Yuzu said, walking toward Mei and turned around to be face-to-face with her.

Keeping a steady eye contact with Yuzu, Mei arched a brow. "You're getting a little spoiled, Yuzu."

"Huh? It's just a kiss," Yuzu said, creasing her brows.

With a sigh, Mei gently touched Yuzu's cheek. "Close your eyes," she said, lowering her voice to a soft whisper.

Yuzu closed her eyes and leaned softly against Mei's palm. Feeling the warmth from Mei's hand, Yuzu's heart thud in joy. She finally felt the complete and letting her hand go was futile. Then, without a warning, a sudden sensation similar to an electric shock ran through her spine as Mei kissed her upper lip.

"Good night, Yuzu," Mei said as she slowly pulled back. Watching her girlfriend's lips shiver in protest, she placed her slender finger over to stop them from shaking.

Unable to process what was happening, Yuzu stood there like a Greek statue, frozen in time. She felt a mixture of ecstasy and torture. Her eyes wanted to open but they felt heavy.

"Yuzu," Mei said, whispering in Yuzu's ear. "It's time for us to sleep. Happy Birthday."

Letting out a sigh of regret, Yuzu opened her eyes. "One more, please," she said, pleading and closing her eyes again as she inhaled the traces of Mei's fragrance. Her nose brushed against Mei's cheek.

Mei pulled away and turned around upon feeling a sudden sensation run through her skin.

"It's time for us to sleep," Mei said, hiding a blush that was starting to form on her cheeks.

"Can I sleep in your room, Mei?" Yuzu said almost like a reflex. She slumped her shoulders and covered her mouth with both hands upon realizing what she had said.

 _Why did I even say that?_

"Alright," Mei responded in a low voice.

"Yuzucchi! Where are you?" Harumin's voice reverberated in the room, pulling Yuzu out of her reverie.

"Perhaps, next time, then," Mei said, walking toward the window. She sighed and stared into the distance.

* * *

Turning to her side, Mei felt the morning breeze as she stretched her arm. The yellow rays of the sun were dancing in her room through the open windows. Inhaling the fresh morning air, she sat on the bed. As she breathed out, calmness showed through her face. Right after wearing her slippers, she noticed a torn out page lying by the door.

With a raised brow, she dragged her feet all the way to the door.

 **Not a poem.**

 **Just a reminder that I'm making us breakfast.**

 **And I love you. Good morning!**

Every word on the note tugged at her heartstrings.

The ring from her phone pulled her out of thoughts. Folding the note in half, she placed it close to her heart before walking over the bedside table.

 **"Mei, I need you to come back to Tokyo,"** the person on the other line said. **"I received a call from the university you were applying for in Switzerland."**

"Father," Mei said as she lightly sat on the bed. Her voice showed apprehension.

 **"You've always wanted to study there."**

With a sigh, Mei slowly opened the drawer and took out the gift box.

 **"Mei, this is the best business school in Switzerland and they called to schedule a tour of their university."**

As she opened the box, her eyes darted toward the emerald bracelet in gold.

 **"Are you thinking about giving one of your dreams up?"**

Clearing her throat, she looked to her right and her eyes found respite in the sight of birds resting on the tree. The chirping sound, somehow, washed some of her worries away.

 **"I'll let you know when I come back home, Father,"** she said, her gaze shifting between the white sand and the flock of birds flying across the sea against the blue sky.

 **"How has your stay been so far?"**

Looking at the box she was holding alongside Yuzu's note, Mei had said, **"It's been good. Thank you."**

With narrowed eyes, Mei looked at the door upon hearing someone's short quick steps. At a fast rate, she dropped the gift box in the drawer.

"Breakfast is ready, Mei," Yuzu said as she opened the door. Her face was brimming with happiness. It didn't take long enough for the smile to twist in guilt. "Sorry, I didn't know you're on your phone."

 **"Who's with you, Mei?"** her father asked.

 **"I will call you back, Father,"** Mei said, squinting her eyes at Yuzu.

With a little hesitation, Yuzu made a few steps forward as she watched Mei place the phone on the table.

"Can you see this?" Mei said like a lawyer roasting a witness while placing her hand at the side of her neck.

Yuzu covered her mouth in fear upon detecting a mark she left while they were on a hot air balloon ride.

"How can I possibly hide this?" Mei said as she slowly walked toward her nervous girlfriend.

Like a scientist who had a light-bulb moment, Yuzu jolted in her place and flicked her wrist. "I can cover it with a concealer."

"That will never work." Mei turned around and let out a long sigh.

"It will. Just trust me." Yuzu hastened toward Mei. She turned around and held her girlfriend's shoulders. "Concealers are life-savers," she said, hoping to elicit a smile from Mei.

"I want to get even." Mei looked straight into Yuzu's eyes.

As quickly as Yuzu shoved Mei, she pulled her hands back and turned her face to the side and stared at the black round chair. The blush was burning through her cheeks.

Truth be told, Mei's idea of revenge made millions of cells in Yuzu's body race in anticipation. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head to the side, easily allowing access to her neck. Mentally preparing herself, she took a deep breath and talked herself into it.

 _It won't be that painful._

A few minutes in, she was still in the same position. She wondered why nothing was happening so she opened her right eye and noted how conveniently Mei was sitting on the bed and tapping on her phone.

 _This is so embarrassing._

Yuzu arched her back and stretched her arms. In that moment, she wanted the ground to eat her up alive to hide her face that was resembling the color of a bad sunburn.

"I was confirming our schedule today with a local Okinawan perfumer." Mei said, swiping on her phone screen.

"Our schedule?" Yuzu asked as she walked over the edge of the bed.

"Yes. It's for the competition. Naoya Mikami used to be a sought-after perfumer in France. A few years ago, he returned to Okinawa to build his own company." Mei reached out for the bottle of fragrance by the table. "This was created by him," she said, holding the bottle while looking at Yuzu.

"Just for you?" Yuzu tilted her head and lifted both of her brows.

With a slow nod, Mei had said, "I fell in love with this scent years ago."

 _I fell in love with that scent on you._

"Yuzu," Mei sternly said upon noticing the dreamy expression on Yuzu's face. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing."

"I see. Your eyes are betraying your answer."

With a quick move, Yuzu looked away. "Breakfast is ready."

Yuzu's body tensed as she felt Mei's lips on her neck. Letting out a soft moan, she bit her lower lip.

"Now, we're even." Mei stood up and fixed the lower sides of her shirt. "Let's have breakfast."

* * *

In the afternoon...

Droves of citrus trees and the familiar sound of water flowing from a bamboo fountain brought back good memories from Mei's last visit to Naoya Mikumi's Orchard and House of Fragrance. The fainted rays of the sun were dancing along with the leaves.

"Aihara Mei!" A man yelled out, carrying a basket of fruits. "It's nice to finally see you again," he said, taking off his hat as he walked toward her.

"Does he really make perfume, Prez?" Harumin asked in a harsh whisper.

Mei nodded and looked at Harumin through the corner of her eye. "He also creates his own essential oils for the fragrances."

"That's strange," Harumin said, creasing her brows as she had a different idea of someone who was into creating bespoke fragrances.

Yuzu closed her eyes and took in the fresh scent of the cool afternoon breeze. Her ears relished the sound of the water dripping flawlessly from the fountain.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us today, Mikami-sensei," Mei said, bowing. Upon seeing Mei's gesture, Yuzu and Harumin bowed at the man.

"Aihara-san, my most valued and beloved client, turning down your request would be devastating," the man said, shifting his gaze among the three girls in front of him. "Since you have a flight to catch tonight, I'll cut to the chase and show you how to make your own fragrance," Mikami said as he led them to a small glass house in the middle of the farm.

"Welcome," Mikami said, holding the door open.

"Oh my goodness," Harumin said, gushing as she scanned the area. Her gaze shifted among the elegant wooden cabinets, the stunning view of the trees from the glass wall, and the beautiful velvet-upholstered chairs."This place is fascinating."

"This is the work area," Mikami said, leading them to the wooden cabinet that was holding several bottles of essences from fruity, floral, and wood aromas.

Yuzu darted her gaze toward the small library to her right.

"There's no need to read a how-to book in making your own fragrance," he said upon noticing Yuzu's gaze. "You only need the patience to capture the many flavors of emotions in a fragrance."

"This place looks well-maintained, Mikami-sensei," Mei said, interrupting and gently running her fingers through the labels on the bottles.

"I'm glad you noticed, Aihara-san. I always preferred it this way." Mikami said, opening the bottle of citrus essence. "You mentioned that you are planning to create your own fragrance for your competition?" he said, taking a quick whiff from the bottle.

"Yes," Mei said, grabbing a bottle of a floral essence.

"It's for a social cause," Yuzu said, interrupting and reading the labels on the bottles.

"That's an excellent idea. The sense of smell is powerful," Mikami said, putting the bottle on the table and looking at Yuzu. "A certain fragrance can evoke emotions and memories. I'll leave you alone. I'm sure Aihara-san has a sharp memory and can teach you how to mix your fragrance."

"Thank you, Sensei," Mei said as she gave Mikami a slight bow.

Mikami nodded and politely left them.

"That man sounds more sophisticated than he looks, huh?" Harumin said, giving Yuzu a nudge. "Oh well, I'm more interested in the view outside. Maybe I should take some photos as practice for my future photography career."

"Are you sure, Harumin?" Yuzu said, taking a bottle from the work station.

"Yeah. Besides, I don't wanna be spying on your entry for the competition," Harumin said, walking away and waving her hand in the air. "See ya!"

Yuzu turned to her side and glanced at Mei who was tying her hair in a ponytail. Without even realizing it, a sigh escaped from her lips.

Through the corner of her eye, Mei noticed Yuzu's gaze. "Yuzu, can you please hand me the beaker?"

Yuzu slightly jolted. "What's that again, Mei?"

"The beaker, please," Mei said, pointing her hand at a set of glassware.

Yuzu grabbed the one that was closest to her and handed it to Mei.

Mei tilted her head and squinted her eyes at Yuzu.

Brushing the back of her head, Yuzu chuckled nervously. "Isn't this the beaker?"

"What have you been actually doing in your chemistry class?" Mei stretched out her arm in front of Yuzu and grabbed the right equipment.

Turning her face to the side, a particular scene in the laboratory where she was nodding forward to fight back her sleepiness flashed before Yuzu's eyes. As she turned her face to the other side, her nose accidentally brushed Mei's cheek.

Mei reached out for the rest of the glassware. "You'll choose the base note," she said, handing Yuzu small bottles of Jasmine, Sandalwood and Rose essences.

Yuzu stared blankly at the bottles.

 _Ugghh. I have no idea what to do._

"It's not rocket science, Yuzu. Just select the one you like the most." Mei placed the bottles in front of Yuzu before shifting her gaze toward the other essences. "I'll choose the top note and we'll both choose the middle note."

Yuzu could feel a sweat that was forming on her temple. Scratching her head, she took a deep breath.

Looking to her left, Mei noted Yuzu's creased brows and slightly opened mouth while looking nervously at the essences and the glassware on the work area.

"You do like to cook. Is that correct?" Mei asked, taking a dropper from a bottle. She made a gesture for Yuzu to take a step closer to her. "Making a fragrance is similar to cooking. These essences are your ingredients. Here, let me show you." She grabbed the base note essences and opened each one.

Curiously looking at what Mei was doing, Yuzu moved her head closer.

"You can start by taking a quick whiff on each one." Mei placed the bottle of Jasmine essence close to Yuzu's nose.

Without a second thought, Yuzu inhaled the life out of the essence.

"That's not how you do it," Mei said, slowly moving the bottle close to her face. She closed her eyes and took a whiff from it like someone relishing a beautiful memory where time just stood still.

 _She looks so beautiful._

"Alright, Jasmine would be our base note," Mei said in a stern voice as she poured the Jasmine essence in drops into the beaker. "Are you paying attention, Yuzu?"

Lost in her imagination, Yuzu just stared at Mei.

With a sigh, Mei leaned in and brushed her cheek against Yuzu's.

Yuzu jolted and widened her eyes. That was enough for her to return to reality.

"I'm paying attention," Yuzu said, hissing as she arched her back.

Nodding once, Mei took the other set of the essences. "I'll be choosing the top note," she said, mentally reading the labels.

"But you already chose the base note, Mei." Yuzu crinkled her eyes.

"I've chosen that for you since you were lying about paying attention," Mei said, opening the bottle of Mandarin essence this time. "I was helping you out, Yuzu." Her hand stretched out over Yuzu's nose.

The sweet scent of the essence filled Yuzu's senses. For a moment, it felt like she was back in her childhood, picking Mandarin oranges with her family at their old home in Kyoto. Breathing out, she turned her face to look at Mei. Her eyes were glowing.

"It seems you've already selected the top note," Mei said as she slowly poured the Mandarin essence into the beaker. After getting the right amount, she sighed in annoyance.

"Is there anything wrong, Mei?"

"Well, we should have chosen the middle note before the top note. That could have been more logical," Mei said, sighing and closing her eyes. Irritation was manifesting in her voice.

Noting how Mei was tightly gripping on the bottle, Yuzu placed her hand on Mei's shoulder and said, "That can't be too bad, Ms. President. We don't have to do everything by the book, do we?"

Breathing in deeply, Mei opened her eyes. Nodding once, she loosened her grip and placed the bottle on the table. "For saying something smart, I'll give you the chance to choose the middle note."

"Geez, Mei," Yuzu said, pausing and scratching her head. "I can be smart, you know and instead of choosing the middle note, can I just have a kiss?" Yuzu casually uttered in a playful manner. Without a warning, she felt Mei's hand on her face and her cheeks seared instantly.

"Hmm." Yuzu sighed as Mei's index finger trailed from Yuzu's forehead, down to her nose. "I'm afraid, I wasn't able to catch what you were saying. What do you want instead?" Mei asked, leaning in while her finger was settling on Yuzu's upper lip.

"A kiss," Yuzu said without a stammer, surprising even her own self. "I'm allowed to ask for a kiss, right?"

In that moment, the tables were turned. Mei felt a sudden thud in her chest upon locking eyes with Yuzu. Removing her hand from Yuzu's face, she looked away slightly. Before she knew it, Yuzu had already stolen a kiss from her.

* * *

To be continued...

Thank you very much for all the comments that you left. Reading some of them made me shed tears, in a good way. Thank you so much, I feel very humbled. Some scenes (almost all scenes, to be honest) were very hard to write and knowing how much you appreciate them is enough to make me happy. Thank you for patiently waiting for this update. Hope you enjoy the rest of the week. 3


	12. Chapter 12 - A Bit of Fever

Chapter 12 - A Bit of Fever

* * *

In the plane...

After a long afternoon of fragrance-making and luggage-packing, Yuzu was now sleeping peacefully in her seat, draped in a blanket. The travel pillow supported her head. Letting out a sound of comfort, she turned to the side of the window.

"Would you like something to drink?" the stewardess said as she smiled broadly at Mei while loosening her grip from the service cart's handle.

Slowly putting her book down, Mei nodded in agreement. "A cup of coffee, please. Thank you."

With an almost permanent smile on her face, the stewardess carefully poured coffee into a cup. "Here you go," she said as she slowly stretched her arm.

"Thank you." Mei took the coffee with both hands and slightly bowed at the stewardess. As she gripped on the cup, she sighed feeling the warmth on her palms. It was starting to get so cold in the plane.

Looking around, Mei noted almost all of the passengers were asleep. She placed her hands on the table and closed her eyes, hoping to snatch a few minutes worth of meditation. A few moments into the silence, she felt how fast her heart was racing. It was strange knowing she had only taken a whiff of the coffee and not even a sip.

Recalling a technique from a mindfulness course she attended infrequently, she allowed herself to feel every thud in her chest. As the minutes passed, the sound was getting louder and her chest was getting more painful, so she fumbled for a small box in her handbag.

Her eyes stared blankly at the small box. Slowly, she turned her face to her side and gazed at Yuzu who was sleeping like a child.

Mei removed the bracelet from the box and with a sigh, she gently grabbed Yuzu's left hand and quickly put on the emerald bracelet.

Her heart beat faster when Yuzu shifted her body to her side so she let her arm go in one swift and leaned back in her seat.

"Mei," Yuzu said, mumbling and snugging her hand under the pillow.

Casting a glance at Yuzu, Mei let out a sigh of relief and fixed Yuzu's blanket and tucked it across her shoulders.

* * *

More than two hours in, Mei had already reached the last page of the book she was reading. It was peaceful and quiet until the pilot gave his routine announcement. She gently nudged Yuzu with her hand. "Wake up, Yuzu."

Moving sideways, Yuzu stretched her left arm and slowly sat. She covered her mouth and arched her back. Feeling a slight tension that formed in her left shoulder, she massaged it and turned her body to Mei's direction.

"You didn't sleep?" Yuzu said, rubbing her left shoulder.

"One of us had to stay awake," Mei sternly responded, putting her book in the bag.

Yuzu stretched out the length of her body. She glanced up and widened her eyes. "When did I have a bracelet?" she said, creasing her brows and touching the emerald pattern in gold.

"It's time for us to go." Mei stood up from her seat and straightened her skirt. "You should get ready, Yuzu."

Casting a suspicious glance at Mei, Yuzu playfully raised a brow.

"What?" Mei slightly raised her voice. "Why are you giving me that look?"

"You didn't have to do this, Mei," Yuzu said as she grabbed her girlfriend's wrist.

"I didn't do anything, Yuzu."

With a soft sigh, Yuzu hunched her shoulders. "Hey, I already got the perfect gift for my birthday," she said as she gently pressed Mei's hand.

"I see. What could that be?" Mei tilted her head and looked straight into Yuzu's eyes.

"Yuzucchi! Prez!" Harumin cried out from the back, waving her hand at the pair. Her piercing voice served as an alarm clock for the other passengers.

Bending her face down, Yuzu massaged her forehead. "Harumin," she said in a low and barely audible voice. She leapt out her seat when Mei planted a kiss on her cheek.

"I'll see you outside," Mei said as she fixed her coat. Before walking toward the exit, she gave Yuzu a glance to which the blonde responded with a beaming smile.

"Thank you." Yuzu slightly bowed at her girlfriend. As she lifted her head, she had said, hissing, "I'll make it up to you, Mei."

Before allowing any emotion to show in her neutral expression, she slowly walked to the exit, leaving Yuzu behind.

"I'll see you later, Mei," Yuzu said in a low tone as she watched Mei walk toward the cabin crew. Taking a deep breath, she caressed her bracelet. Elation instantly filled every cell in her body. She moved her left hand close to her heart.

"You're smiling to yourself," Harumin said, breaking Yuzu's train of delightful thoughts.

* * *

At the arrival hall...

Yuzu's gaze darted from one direction to the next. Looking at the terminal clock, she noted that it had been almost an hour since she last saw Mei. It wasn't especially busy at the arrival lobby. There were only a handful of people sitting on the bench under a gigantic fluorescent ring light.

"There's your mom, Yuzucchi," Harumin said, pointing her hand and her head toward the short-haired woman who was waving outside the terminal.

Flashing a big smile at her mother, Yuzu hurried outside, leaving Harumin behind. "Mama," she said, gushing and waving her hand. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw someone behind her mother.

"Welcome back, Yuzu," Ume said, wrapping her arms tightly around her daughter. "What took you so long inside?"

"Mei," Yuzu said in a strangled voice as she glanced up at her girlfriend who was a few steps behind her mother.

Letting Yuzu go, Ume turned around and gently wrapped her arms around Mei. "Thank you for taking care of Yuzu."

Watching Mei melt in the arms of her mother, Yuzu let out a sigh of joy. She held both of her hands close to her heart.

When Mei opened her eyes, she glanced up at Yuzu. Her eyes had a soft and gentle glow against her straight face

"Mei!" A man in a casual business attire yelled out from a short distance. All of them turned to the man's direction.

"Father," Mei said, uttering in a low voice as she bowed slightly at her father.

"Aihara-san, good evening," Ume said, greeting and glancing up at Mei's father.

Stepping back, Yuzu just looked fixedly at the man, examining his features.

 _Mei got her eyes form him._

"Are you sure, you're moving out of the house, Mei?" Mei's father said as he made an eye contact with his daughter. His voice was flat and his eyes were tight.

Mei nodded. As it was getting late, her sleepiness translated into a yawn. "Let's go home, for now, Father."

"Such a pity, I made a reservation for us to celebrate Yuzu's birthday," Ume said, sighing.

"Mama, don't use that trick on Mei. She's tired," Yuzu said, shoving her mother's shoulders.

"I don't have any schedule for tomorrow. I can have dinner with you," Mei said, fixing the front of her coat. The late evening breeze was getting colder and Mei started to slightly shiver. Gently rubbing her hands together, she looked at her father and had said, "Is that okay, Father?"

Both Yuzu and Ume stared at him expectantly. For a moment, there wasn't any answer. They noticed him tilting his head back and slowly turned to the side.

"It's just dinner," Ume said, hissing and crossing her arms.

"Alright, then," Mei's father said, checking his phone. "It's been a while since we had dinner together, Mei."

"Yuzucchi!" Harumin shouted, walking toward Yuzu while carrying some Okinawan sweets in a paper bag. As soon as she reached the group, she handed the souvenir to Yuzu's mother. Looking to her right, she noticed Mei's father and immediately handed out something that was supposed to be for her sister.

Both Yuzu and Mei fumbled for something in their bags.

"Mama, this is for you," Yuzu said, handing a little yellow box. "Mei and I created this scent."

Ume's face instantly brimmed with joy. She shifted her gaze between Yuzu and Mei as she removed the fragrance from the box. "This smells really good. It reminds me of our old home in Kyoto," Ume said upon taking a whiff from the bottle. "Good job, girls."

"Sir, the car is ready," the man in a formal suit said, bowing at Mei's father.

"Good evening, Yoshida-san," Mei said as she focused her attention on the man.

Slowly straightening his back, he looked at Mei with a tight-lipped smile on his face. His eyeglasses complemented his formal expression. "Welcome back, Aihara-san," he said as he slightly bowed at the heiress.

"It's time for us to go," Mei's father said, hinting for the group to follow him toward the car.

Surprisingly, it was a peaceful evening. Although it was supposed to be one of the busiest times of the year, there weren't many people outside the terminal. As they kept walking, Harumin entertained Ume with stories from their Okinawan trip. Mei's father walked alone in front of them, leaving Mei and Yuzu behind everyone else.

Yuzu looked up and smiled at the stars that were sparkling above them. They looked beautiful from the airport and perfectly aligned. She delightfully sighed and turned her face to her right. Happiness filled her face as she watched Mei silently walk beside her.

"What?" Mei said as she cast a glance at Yuzu through the corner of her eye.

"Mama really likes you, Mei."

Mei slightly turned her face and sighed. "What makes you say that?"

"Because there's nothing to hate about you, Mei."

Mei just sighed hearing those words from Yuzu. She was caught between rolling her eyes to the stars or to act unfazed. But deep down, it tugged at her heartstrings. "That's not true, Yuzu. You should be careful about what people are showing you."

Slumping her shoulders, Yuzu conceded. "I was just trying to be," she said, pausing and lowering her voice to a tone that only she could hear, "romantic."

"Did you say something?" Mei said, raising an eyebrow while softly rubbing her hands together. The evening breeze was getting colder.

Yuzu reached out for Mei's arm and held her hand. "I'll keep you warm," she said, muttering as she placed their hands close to her mouth. Blowing warm air to both of their palms, she cast a glance at Mei

"If you keep doing that, we will be caught." Mei kept her gaze forward.

"Does that bother you, Mei?"

"I couldn't care less what others think about me, Yuzu. What about you?

Looking down, Yuzu somewhat hesitated to give a response. She cleared her throat and looked to her side. "I only care about what you think of me, Mei, but I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."

"And how will you get me in trouble?" Mei said as she stopped from walking. She turned her face toward Yuzu.

Bending her head down, Yuzu closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she lifted her head, her gaze was met by Mei's expectant eyes. "I don't know why I feel like I'm not good enough for you."

"I see. Self-pity is a selfish and destructive behavior."

"Huh?" Yuzu said, tilting her head. Her brows were creased.

"You're enough," Mei said, whispering as she continued to walk.

Soft pinkish tinge instantly replaced the confusion on Yuzu's face. She looked at Mei and fought back a grin that was starting to show.

* * *

A few weeks after the summer vacation...

Groups of senior students were lining up in front a bulletin board. Some were shaking their heads and slumping their shoulders as soon as they finished looking at the results and a couple of students were jumping out of delight. After they left the area, Mei walked toward the bulletin board.

"Congrats, Prez!"

Mei slightly jolted as she heard that voice behind her. Then a hope of seeing Yuzu entered her thoughts which made her heart race a little. Turning around, she sighed. "Thank you, Taniguchi-san," Mei said, keeping a calm expression against a slight disappointment.

"Too bad, Yuzu isn't around today," Harumin said, taking photos of the results. "Might as well just send her a photo to cheer her up."

"Is there something wrong with Yuzu?" Mei somewhat squinted her eyes at Harumin.

"She has fever since yesterday," Harumin said as she carefully read and somewhat double-checked the results on the board. "I got a call from her today, Prez."

Mei clutched her pen and held her folder tightly. "I still have something to do at the office, Taniguchi-san. I'll go ahead now," Mei said, politely excusing herself and walked gracefully away from Harumin.

As soon as she reached the office, she immediately grabbed her phone.

 **"Why didn't you tell me you're feeling ill since yesterday?"** Mei said in a stern voice as soon as Yuzu answered her phone.

 **"I didn't want you to worry,"** Yuzu said, stammering.

 **"But you made sure to let Taniguchi-san know. Isn't that a bit counter-intuitive?"**

 **"I get what you mean and I'm sorry, Mei,"** Yuzu said, restraining her sniffles.

Leaning against the table, Mei let out a sigh. **"We made it to the preliminary rounds, Yuzu."**

 **"Yes!"** Yuzu cried out, jumping out of her seat and throwing a victory fist.

 **"I thought of letting you know first before you hear this news from someone else."** Mei's voice had a little undertone of harshness.

Yuzu dropped herself heavily on the sofa. **"Please, stop being that way."**

Crossing her arm under her right elbow, Mei sighed and walked toward the glass window. The afternoon sky was calm and there were only a few students sitting on the grass outside.

Yuzu turned around the sofa and propped herself on one elbow. **"I feel a little dizzy and my head hurts a bit."**

Mei softly massaged her temple and turned around. **"What am I supposed to do with you?"**

 **"You can come over and make me feel better,"** Yuzu immediately said, whispering and smiling to herself as she leaned back.

 **"No,"** Mei harshly said as she sat in her seat.

Letting out a sigh of disappointment, Yuzu got up from the sofa and walked toward the kitchen. As she opened the fridge to look for something to soothe her hunger, she grumbled. **"I'm very hungry and Mama's not home."**

 **"It's quite simple to make a phone call for food delivery, isn't it?"**

Yuzu dropped herself on the table. **"I give up."**

 **"I was a little upset that you didn't tell me."**

Crinkling her eyes, Yuzu let out a sigh of delight. **"I'm sorry. Won't happen again,"** she said, smiling and clutching the hem of her shirt.

A knock on the door caused Mei to swivel her chair around and stare at the door entrance. **"I'll talk to you later, Yuzu."**

Noting the urgency on Mei's voice, Yuzu immediately said, **"I love you,"** and hung up. She collapsed on the sofa and kicked her legs in the air.

For a brief moment, Mei stared at her phone and held back a smile.

* * *

It was getting late in the afternoon and the small restaurant across Tanoshi-ge living wasn't too crowded. Mei stood at the counter and looked at the menu on a board. A description of a mild and thin Japanese rice soup caught her eye. Looking around the room, she noticed a couple over in a corner of the place.

After a woman in front of her left the counter, Mei stepped up and ordered Zosui and Ramen. She wondered what on earth she was doing as soon as the cashier returned her credit card.

Mei walked by the window and claimed a table as she waited for her order. Glancing to her left, she noticed the couple exchanging gifts and the man uttering 'happy anniversary' to the woman. She looked away and wondered what Yuzu was up to. Her girlfriend had been acting strange the past days. Then a waiter set down a complimentary drink, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Thank you," she said to the waiter. Turning around, her gaze darted toward the entrance and she watched another couple smiling and holding hands as they made their way inside the restaurant.

It was strange how those scenes were being brought to her awareness as she would normally ignore couples in any situation. Fixing her gaze out the window, Mei took a slow sip of her drink, ever aware of the last words uttered by Yuzu before hanging up.

* * *

In the apartment, Yuzu took a sip of her green tea and swiped a soft cloth over her forehead, determined to find the perfect formula for the scents she was trying to make. Mixing essences wasn't entirely her favorite thing about making fragrances for their competition- precisely measuring the substances while deciding for the type of essence for each note gave her a month worth of headache.

Taking a whiff from her latest creation, she smiled then screamed out of joy. When her feelings settled down, she lay on the floor and wondered how strange it was for her to persevere and not give up so easily on a tough task.

The sound of the doorbell ringing pulled her out her thoughts. It was too early for her mother to come home, Yuzu wondered as she stood up from the floor and walked toward the entrance. Before looking into the doorbell camera, Yuzu glanced at the wall clock and noted it was past six in the evening.

"Oh my god," Yuzu said. Her heart was racing. She leaned against the door and focused on her breathing and even slapped her face lightly. Making sure it wasn't a dream, she looked into the camera again and the image of the person hadn't changed.

"Aren't you going to let me in?" the person on the other side said.

Fighting back a wide smile that was beginning to show on her face, Yuzu opened the door. "Mei," she said, faking a cough.

Mei leaned in closer to Yuzu. "You smell," she said, pausing and moving her face to Yuzu's other side, "different."

Yuzu's awkwardness manifested into a blush which she tried to hide by bending down slightly. Noticing that Mei had a couple of takeaway meals, she glanced up at her. "You didn't have to, Mei," she said, smiling.

Looking straight into Yuzu's eyes, Mei felt a sudden thud in her chest. She handed Yuzu their meals. "You're not really going to let me in? I haven't had dinner yet."

Yuzu grabbed the takeaways and swung the door open. "Sorry. Please make yourself at home."

As they made their way inside, Mei scanned the place and a scene where Yuzu carried her inside when she was drunk flashed before her eyes. A feeling of guilt crept up in her. Closing her eyes, the memories became more vivid. She turned around and grabbed their takeaways. "Don't do anything. Let me handle this," Mei said, hissing.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Mei sternly said. Walking toward the dining area, she noticed several small amber bottles across the table in the living room. She even detected a beaker, a graduated cylinder, and even a stirring rod.

Yuzu dashed toward the table and covered everything with her blanket. She looked at Mei and laughed nervously.

"Studies say keeping secrets is bad for you." Mei darted a piercing gaze toward Yuzu.

Uncovering the table, Yuzu sat heavily on the floor and stared out at the illuminated building next to theirs. She wiped the sweat that formed on her forehead. "I just wanted to make you happy. I actually didn't get enough sleep for nights trying to figure out how to make fragrances," Yuzu said, mumbling and pressing her hands together.

"I take that you're trying to induce guilty feelings in me."

"Damn," Yuzu said under her breath. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Why do you have to be so smart?"

"I'll take that as a compliment," Mei said as she pulled out a chair in the dining area.

Yuzu turned her face around to look at Mei. "You heard that?"

"Dinner is ready."

Without a second thought, Yuzu dashed toward the dining table. Pulling out a chair, she flashed a bright smile as Mei. "Thanks, Mei."

"You shouldn't have worked too hard on our project," Mei said, pulling a small amount of noodles with her chopsticks.

As Yuzu waited for the scalding temperature of her meal to cool, she looked at Mei and creased her brows. "I felt guilty. You almost did everything for us from planning to writing."

Mei remembered how she unintentionally turned down Yuzu's help a week before the entry submission.

"I figured doing something else to help you out," Yuzu said, looking a bit dejected as she mixed her rice porridge. Then she giggled and took a sip of her soup which scorched her tongue. Her face contorted in pain. After a few moments, she continued taking a sip, ever more carefully. "I ordered a fragrance-making kit online and a how-to manual to learn how to make perfumes."

Mei nodded and poured some water into Yuzu's glass. "This will soothe your scorched tongue."

A blush seared into Yuzu's cheeks. With excitement, she continued to tell Mei about what she did or how she accidentally poured out the entire content of the sandalwood essential oil into the carpet or miscalculating the ratio that turned a perfume into a body mist.

"I see," Mei said, slowly standing up from her seat. She leaned in swiftly toward Yuzu causing the blonde to instantly shut her eyes. Mei paused to watch Yuzu's quivering lips and the rapid movement of her eyes. Then she kissed the corner of her lip, relishing the piece of meat that settled there.

Yuzu let out a soft moan as she felt her already high temperature shoot up.

"Well..." Mei said, slowly pulling away. Then she sat back in her seat. "It seems that you're burning up. Did you take something for your fever?"

The kiss left her a bit disoriented. As she opened her eyes, Yuzu noted how Mei was enjoying her meal as if nothing had happened. Watching Mei take a bite of meat from her Ramen, Yuzu sighed. "Can I have some of that?"

Mei lifted some noodles from the bowl. Then she dipped them back in to mop up some of the broth. She did all these while Yuzu was watching. When the noodles were coated with the right amount of broth, she brought them close to Yuzu's unsuspecting mouth. "Open your mouth," she whispered.

Yuzu shaped her lips like she would sip her hot cup of green tea. Slurping the noodles quickly and loudly in front of Mei felt a bit bold for Yuzu so she looked away slightly. After finishing her noodles, she drank some water to cool her down.

"You have a good appetite for someone with fever," Mei said as she slowly sat back in her seat.

The blush on Yuzu's cheeks was burning. As the cool breeze from the air conditioner blended with her body heat, she felt her skin radiating some steam making her shiver a little.

Mei took it as a sign that Yuzu might have worn herself out from her secret project; to make various types of fragrances, she must have put in a lot of effort. She fumbled for a small box of tissue in her bag and walked to the other side. "You should probably rest," Mei said, wiping the sweat off Yuzu's forehead.

"I'm okay, Mei," Yuzu said, crossing her arms across her shoulders to stop her from shivering.

"If you keep lying, I'll never," Mei said, pausing as she slowly pressed the tissue on Yuzu's face.

Pulling away, Yuzu glanced up at her girlfriend. "You'll never what, Mei?"

Mei leaned in and gently pressed her lips against Yuzu's. Completely unprepared, Yuzu's eyes widened at the sudden kiss. But before she could think of another thought, Mei covered her mouth in a passionate kiss. Her mouth felt so warm and the caress of her lips were more erotic than her teasing.

"Do that again," Mei said, whispering slowly as she pulled away.

Yuzu hesitantly opened her eyes as her heart fluttered at Mei's voice. The swirls of emotions made her unable to think straight and the warmth that was radiating from the spot where Mei's lips touched engulfed her body. "I'm not okay. I have fever. I don't feel well," she said as she slowly leaned forward, hoping that Mei would buy her answer.

Mei drew back. "We should probably move to the couch," she said, placing both of her hands on Yuzu's shoulders. "You need to rest," she continued, placing the back of her hand against Yuzu's forehead.

Yuzu breathed in the disappointment deeply. As her eyes opened, she noticed a concerned expression on Mei that she felt obliged to stand up and move to the couch quickly. "Okay."

After several minutes resting on the couch, Yuzu felt a sudden throb on her head which made her squeal in pain.

"You shouldn't have worn yourself out," Mei said, reprimanding as she slowly removed the thermometer from Yuzu's mouth. "Thirty eight degrees Celsius."

"I'll be fine, Mei."

"You should change into something lightweight and comfortable," Mei said as she turned around and slowly walked toward Yuzu's room.

"Wait, Mei! Are you sure?" Yuzu cried out loud. But it fell on deaf ears. Mei had already walked in her room and probably raided her closet, she thought.

* * *

As Mei scanned Yuzu's room, moving her gaze from the sliding door to the closet, she sat on the bed, for a moment, and closed her eyes. Her mind drifted into a certain memory. She slowly caressed her neck.

Yuzu's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She walked toward the closet and grabbed something that Yuzu would not object to wear. It was lightweight and made of cotton- ideal for someone with fever to wear, she figured. Just the thought of doing such a thing made her sigh. Never had she shown care to anyone the way she was showing Yuzu.

Stepping out of the room, Mei noted Yuzu was covered in another blanket. "Yuzu," she said as she slowly approached her.

"Mei, what took you so long?"

"This will make you feel more comfortable," Mei said as she removed the blanket and helped Yuzu.

"You don't have to do this. I know you're not used to doing this," Yuzu said, whispering and sitting cross legged.

"Change into this," Mei said in a commanding voice while making a steady eye contact with Yuzu.

"Wait, what?" Yuzu said, stammering and looking away.

"This will help your skin breathe better," Mei said like a doctor advising a patient. "Are you embarrassed to do it in front of me?" Mei tilted her head to the side and arched a brow.

"No," Yuzu said, waving her hands in front of Mei and creasing her brows. "We're like lovers so I should be comfortable," she said, slightly stammering while looking to her side and pulling on a snagged loop in a blanket.

Letting out a long sigh, Mei stared at Yuzu. "I'm helping you get well, Yuzu," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper and leaning in closer, "get your mind out of the gutter." She quickly drew back and handed Yuzu her shirt. "I have to make a phone call."

Yuzu grabbed Mei's hand lightly. Her eyes showed the kind of gentle love or gratitude that Mei's toy poodle, Koko, used to have. Mei sat on the couch and, Yuzu, without a warning, wrapped her arms around her neck and instead of pushing Yuzu away, the sudden embrace actually felt soothing.

"Please, stay," Yuzu said as she pulled away and quickly changed her top. She spoke with such a soft voice that the way she said them stirred Mei's emotions more than the actual words.

As soon as Yuzu was finished, she gently lay on Mei's lap. "I love you," she whispered, holding her hand. Mei's warmth felt as if Yuzu was wrapped in a blanket of safety. She fell asleep.

How could Mei pull her hand back, now that Yuzu was holding it to get respite from her discomfort? Mei left her hand captive. Out of nowhere, her heart started to race.

More than a couple of hours in, Yuzu was still holding Mei's hand while resting on her lap. The urge to wake Yuzu up and to pull her hand back grew stronger but there was something stopping her. The innocence that was showing on Yuzu's sleeping face and her soft breathing were making both of their worlds stand still.

As she slowly reached for her bag, she heard someone open the door making her jolt and draw her hand back from Yuzu's grip.

"I'm home, Yuzu."

"Yuzu, wake up," Mei said, whispering as she pushed Yuzu's shoulder gently. "Your mother is home."

"Mei-chan," Ume said, creasing her brows as she placed her laptop bag on a dining chair. With a few strides, she reached the girls. "Sorry for the trouble. How long have you been here?" she continued, placing the back of her hand against Yuzu's forehead.

"Not long enough," Mei said, propping her hands on the couch.

Ume sighed as she softly grabbed Yuzu's head. "Wake up, Yuzu," she said, helping Yuzu into a sitting position.

"Yuzu has been working hard for our project." A tinge of guilt filled Mei's voice.

"It's her choice, Mei-chan. Don't feel guilty about it. Yuzu told me that you took care of the writing part for your business plan." Ume placed her hand over Mei's as she sat between the two girls. Her other hand reached out for Yuzu's face as she let her daughter rest on her shoulder.

What began as a little way to see Yuzu and to let her know it wasn't alright to keep something such as having a fever a secret from her spiraled into the opposite direction. As Ume reached out for her face to let her rest on her other shoulder, Mei felt a sense of... belongingness.

* * *

The following Monday...

Over the past weekend, Yuzu had become increasingly determined in finding ways to repay Mei for taking care of her last Friday night. Holding a couple of Katsudon takeaways that she got from the cafeteria, Yuzu firmly walked toward the student council office.

 _She told me she'd be working on lunchtime..._

"Hey, Yuzu. Way to go!" A male student yelled out. Excitement was evident in his voice.

Stopping from her stride, Yuzu turned to face the student. "Hey Taro, Thanks!" Yuzu said, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow. "But what're you congratulating me for?"

Taro brushed his hair with his hand. "You made it to round one," he said, squinting his eyes and fixing the left sleeve of his uniform. "Having lunch with someone?" He pointed at the red disposable lunch boxes Yuzu was holding.

"Yeah. With Mei."

"Working hard for the competition, huh?" Taro stretched his arms. Then he leaned closer. "Katsudon. The food for the winners."

Yuzu burst out laughing. "Maybe you should try eating Katsudon before your next big game, Captain."

Gently tapping a fist on Yuzu's head, Taro said, "Rubbing salt to the injury, huh!"

"Sorry, Taro. Couldn't help it. But I heard it was a great game. I'll be cheering for you next time."

"Bring Aihara-san with you. She's my lucky charm."

Sneering with one corner of her upper lip, Yuzu cast a piercing glance at Taro. "She's taken."

"Come on! It's not like I'm gonna snatch her away from her boyfriend," Taro said, scratching the side of his neck. "But really? She's taken?"

Maintaining a steady eye contact with Taro, Yuzu slowly nodded her head and gave him a smirk.

Smacking his palm against his forehead, Taro let out a sigh of defeat. "And who's that lucky bastard?"

* * *

To be continued...

Thank you for reading and for the encouraging comments. They mean a lot to me and I'm forever grateful for your taking the time to read and to share your thoughts.. I hope you're having a great week, so far. 3

I'm finally on tumblr, it's alexisbliss. tumblr. com. :) Thank you.


	13. Chapter 13 - Love or Dreams

Chapter 13 - Love or Dreams

* * *

Yuzu took a deep breath and slowly turned around. "Let's just say, someone who's very lucky to have her."

"I'll find out sooner or later," Taro said, hissing as he fixed the front side of his uniform.

Yuzu smiled to herself and slowly walked away from Taro. "See you around, Taro," she said, waving one hand in the air. "Good luck."

As Yuzu continued to make her way to the office, she felt a certain feeling of victory. Just having a passing thought about Mei, her heart would beat to its own rhythm or her lips would smile all of a sudden. Sighing in delight, she wondered if her dad felt the same way every time he would think about her mom during their college days.

Standing in front of the office while holding the lunchboxes with one hand, Yuzu straightened herself and lifted her other hand. As she was about to knock, she heard some noise coming from the office. Leaning closer, she put her ear against the door. Her eyes narrowed as she detected two people shouting at each other.

"No, no! I don't want anything to do with you!" a girl said, shouting. Yuzu noticed the crack in her voice.

Yuzu lifted her head from the door at the sound of a loud pair of shoes. The door swung open to Yuzu's surprise. A woman hurried her way out while casting a sad glance at her. In that brief encounter, she felt a surge of mixed emotions.

"Yuzu," Mei said with an undertone of worry and anger.

With a racing heart, Yuzu turned her face toward Mei's direction. Her eyes locked in on her girlfriend's piercing gaze. Letting out a sigh, Yuzu crinkled her eyes to cheer Mei up. "Let's have lunch, Mei."

Mei slowly walked toward the round table next to the bookshelf. As she pulled out a chair, she cast a quick glance at Yuzu and noted a furrowed brow against a smile.

"Mei, I hope you like Katsudon," Yuzu said as she inched forward. Upon reaching the table, she took a quick look at Mei before setting their lunch.

"It was my mother," Mei said as she stared fixedly at the lunchbox that Yuzu had set in front of her.

Pulling out a chair for herself, Yuzu kept a smile on her face. "I see," she said, as she sat ever so lightly. Her heart started to beat faster out of nervousness. It felt like she was sitting beside a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.

"Yuzu," Mei said as she moved her chopsticks closer to Yuzu's lips.

Yuzu cleared her throat before turning her face slightly to the side.

 _Mei looks sad but she's trying so hard to hide her emotions._

"We're ready for our business exhibit," Mei said matter-of-factly as she tried to regain her composure after an argument with her mother.

Yuzu grabbed her chopsticks and picked a piece of meat from her lunchbox while occasionally casting a glance at Mei through the corner of her eye.

"I appreciate your coming over for lunch." Calmness was starting to manifest in Mei's voice.

"Not a problem, Mei," Yuzu said as she flashed a smile at her girlfriend. While looking at Mei, Yuzu noted that she had a very similar appearance to her mother. "She's beautiful."

Closing her eyes, Mei leaned back heavily in her seat. "I'm terrified of turning into her," she said, feeling a sudden tightness in her chest.

Yuzu slightly looked away, unable to utter a response. Before she met Mei, Yuzu had no issue speaking her mind in any situation even if she appeared tactless.

"She had hurt me in ways no one can ever understand," Mei said, choking on her words and restraining the anger that was starting to show in her voice. Ever so softly, she grabbed Yuzu's face and leaned in closer. "You'll never hurt me, right?"

Holding Mei's right hand, Yuzu closed her eyes and pressed her cheeks against her girlfriend's palm. "Never," Yuzu said upon opening her eyes and setting her gaze at Mei.

 _How can I ever hurt you?_

Mei leaned in for a kiss to Yuzu's astonishment.

Allowing herself to get lost in the moment, Yuzu slightly tilted her head to the side. As Mei opened her lips to lightly sweep the tip of her tongue over Yuzu's lower lip, the blonde felt her cheek getting damped. In a subtle way, Yuzu wiped away the tears from her girlfriend's cheek.

"You don't have to do this, Mei," Yuzu said with a slight pant as she gently pulled back. "Tell me what happened."

As quickly as Mei had locked lips with Yuzu, she pulled back and turned her face over to the meal in front of her.

"Just let me know when you're ready," Yuzu said in a reassuring way as she picked the chopsticks from her lunchbox.

A knock on the door pulled both of them out their moment.

"Let me get it," Yuzu said as she stood up swiftly from her seat. As she hurried her way toward the door, she kept her face turned to the side to glance at Mei.

"Please, give this to Mei," the woman said when Yuzu opened the door, handing her a white rectangular card envelope. It had a carved flower design and white ribbon.

A bit reluctant, Yuzu took the card envelope. As she was about to say "thank you" and invite her in, the woman left in a hurry. For a brief moment, Yuzu froze and stared at the card. Then, she found herself running after the woman. As she stopped near the bulletin board, she turned to look at every direction, breathing in deeply to stop her chest from heaving.

 _Where could she be?_

"Who are you looking for, Yuzucchi?" Harumin's voice echoed in the hallway.

Clearing her throat, Yuzu straightened herself and softly brushed the side of her hair with her hand. She pressed the card against the front of her uniform. "No one," Yuzu said as she slowly turned around toward Harumin's direction.

Without a second thought, Harumin dashed toward Yuzu with a smile on her face. She tightly wrapped her arm around her neck. "Clearly, you were looking for someone," Harumin said with a grin while poking Yuzu's side.

"Ouch! Stop it, Harumin!" Yuzu said as she grabbed Harumin's hand and loosened her neck from her tightly-wrapped arm.

"Is that a wedding invitation?" Harumin said, unwrapping her arm while staring fixedly at the card envelope.

With a quick move, Yuzu stepped back and placed the card behind her.

Harumin leaned forward and playfully reached out for the card behind Yuzu's back. Unable to pull it, she moved behind Yuzu while grabbing her arm, rendering her best friend helpless. "Got it," she said with a slight evil laugh while lifting the card in the air.

"Give it back, Harumin," Yuzu said, squinting her eyes at Harumin as she jumped to grab the card back. "It's private."

Harumin ran toward the stairway while waving the card in the air. "Try to catch me." Climbing three steps, she opened the card.

"Stop playing around, Harumin. Give it back," Yuzu said, slightly panting as she reached the stairway.

"Yuzucchi, I'm sorry," Harumin folded the card and slowly stepped down. Clearing her throat, she handed Yuzu the white card. "So, the rumor is true."

"What rumor?" Yuzu raised her voice as she angrily grabbed the card.

"Her mother is marrying her lover." Harumin pointed at the envelope as she spoke, her brows creased.

"What do you mean she's marrying her lover?"

"Yuzucchi, you better ask the Prez. Not me," Harumin said, fixing the collar of her uniform.

With a slight frown, Yuzu opened the card.

* * *

Back at the student council office...

With light and soft steps, Yuzu walked toward Mei. She took a deep while forcefully shutting her eyes.

"Where have you been?" Mei tidied up the table as she spoke. Her voice was toneless. She handed Yuzu a bottle of cold water while keeping her gaze toward the table.

With a little hesitation, Yuzu grabbed the bottle and took a deep breath. "Thanks, Mei."

"Your food will spoil." Mei made a gesture for Yuzu to sit as she spoke.

"Oh," Yuzu said, quavering. "Mei, your mother gave you this." Yuzu reluctantly stretched her arm toward Mei.

Drawing her hand back from the chair, Mei let out a sigh.

"It's an invitation," Yuzu said as she pulled the chair out while holding the invitation tightly. She noted a tight-lipped smile one Mei's straight face.

"Keep it for me." Mei kept her gaze glued at the painting in front of her as she spoke.

Closing her eyes forcefully, Yuzu sat heavily in her seat. She bit her lower lip and opened her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Mei said, crossing her arms while tilting her head back. "I'm not interested in attending her wedding. "

Yuzu slowly moved her legs forward and lifted the heels of her shoes. Looking at the invitation on her lap, she took another deep breath.

"What would you do, Yuzu, if you were in my situation?"

 _With that tone, she clearly doesn't want my answer._

"Mei," Yuzu said under her breath.

"I don't think I can ever forgive her." Mei turned her face to look at Yuzu. Her voice choked with emotions. "How do I forgive her, Yuzu?"

 _What did she ever do to you, Mei?_

Yuzu wrapped her arms around Mei, pulling her closer. Her throat was hurting as she tried to fight back her tears.

"I don't want her to be a part of my life. Does that make me cruel, Yuzu?"

Leaning in, Yuzu gently caressed her girlfriend's back as if to reassure her she would stay by her side and to ease away her pain. "I understand, Mei."

Pulling herself back, Mei took a deep breath before leaning back in her seat.

"Sorry, Mei," Yuzu said, gently squeezing Mei's hands.

"What are you sorry for?"

"I will never hurt you, Mei." Yuzu looked into Mei's eyes as she spoke ever so softly, pressing her right hand tighter. "I promise."

As Mei gazed at those green eyes, she felt the truth in Yuzu's promise. It wasn't until Yuzu came into her life that she allowed herself to be vulnerable. If it weren't for Yuzu, she would have kept her painful emotions hidden in the dark.

"Our classes will start soon," Mei said, sniffling quietly and wiping her cheeks with tissue. "We better prepare, Yuzu," she continued as she stood up from her seat.

For a brief moment, Yuzu remained quietly seated with her head bent down. As she stood up, her arms tightly wrapped around Mei and her head rested on her girlfriend's left shoulder. "I'll keep my promise," she said in a soft whisper.

* * *

The following day...

Clutching the strap of her book bag and embracing a yellow folder with her other arm, Yuzu hurriedly walked toward the student council office. As she reached the door, she sighed deeply and stretched her arm in the air. Before knocking, she rubbed her hands together as she moved from side to side.

"Okogi Yuzu," a girl said, yelling down the hall. Her booming voice caught the attention of the students nearby.

Scratching the side of her head, Yuzu turned toward the girl's direction. "Momokino-san, good morning," she said, waving her hand at Himeko.

With wide eyes, Himeko darted her stare toward the emerald bracelet on Yuzu's wrist. Her mind drifted into a scene where she was left alone in the office, days before Yuzu's summer vacation in Okinawa.

Himeko vividly remembered how she went back to the office from her inspection duty with the intention to help Mei with their student council work, as the summer break was approaching. To her dismay, she found the room empty and just a gift box resting atop Mei's desk. Curious, she went over and opened it.

"Who gave you that, Okogi Yuzu?" Himeko said, raising her voice while pointing her finger at Yuzu's bracelet. Lowering her eyebrows, she gave Yuzu a tight-lipped smile.

In a swift move, Yuzu placed her arm behind her back.

"If you're looking for President Aihara, she will not be back until next week."

"Huh?"

"Clearly, you didn't know about her plan to study in Switzerland," Himeko said, leaning forward and making an eye contact with Yuzu. "Most probably, she's still on her flight to Zurich with her father."

Pressing her lips, Yuzu stepped back and cleared her throat. She felt her pulse speeding up.

 _She didn't tell me anything and Sunday is her birthday._

With her chin up, Himeko sneered. "If you're not looking for her, then, what brought you here unannounced?"

"Yuzu." A loud, masculine voice emerged from a short distance.

With a sigh of relief, Yuzu turned around and waved at the male student. "Taro, hey!"

Fixing his disheveled hair, he strolled over to Yuzu. "The big game's next week. I'll be expecting you and Aihara-san to cheer for us."

Gently rubbing the nape of her neck, Yuzu let out a deep sigh. She made a show of lifting her bag up her shoulder before glancing up at Taro. "Not sure about that."

"You two are our lucky charms," Taro said, looking intensely into Yuzu's eyes. "Better be there."

Yuzu broke off the eye contact and gripped onto the strap of her bag. "Well," she said in a low voice, smiling against the tightness in her eyes.

"The president is in Switzerland," Himeko said, interjecting and walking over to Yuzu's side.

"She's having her state visit?" Taro said, quipping and chortling to the dismay of Yuzu and Himeko. Noting the tight-lipped smiles and squinted eyes on their faces, Taro wore a serious expression. "I was just kidding. I know she's in Switzerland and she'll be able to make it to our game. Her father and my dad are business partners."

"I guess, I'm the only who was left in the dark." Yuzu spoke under her breath as she clasped her wrist behind her back.

"Don't worry about Aihara Mei, Yuzu. She'll be back soon," Taro said, gently patting Yuzu's head. Upon remembering something, he subtly brushed his hand under his chin. "How are you gonna handle the business exhibit?"

"I don't know," Yuzu said in a soft and almost quiet voice.

"Can you do it alone?" Taro said, slightly shaking his head. Doubt was evident in his eyes.

With a sigh, Yuzu hunched her shoulders and made a step back.

 _How can I possibly do it alone?_

"Momokino, we can help Yuzu out. There's nothing left for us to do, anyway, since we haven't been qualified." Taro stretched his left shoulder as he spoke to Himeko.

Rolling her eyes to the heaven, Himeko sneered. "I'm doing this for President Aihara Mei."

"Okay, I can take that," Taro said, tilting his head back. As he crossed his arms, he gave Himeko a half smile, making him look so smug. "Yuzu, your phone is ringing," he said, shifting his gaze at Yuzu.

After fumbling for her phone in her bag pocket, Yuzu tilted her head as she stared at her screen.

 _This is a weird number._

With slight reluctance, Yuzu answered.

 **"He..."** Yuzu said before she was interrupted.

 **"Yuzu."**

Closing her eyes, Yuzu sighed in delight. The voice on the other line had its own way of connecting straight to her heart.

 **"Are you able to hear me well, Yuzu?"**

 **"Mei,"** Yuzu said, trying her best to hide the brittleness in her voice.

 **"I was supposed to tell you about this, but..."**

Yuzu interrupted. **"Don't worry, Mei."**

 **"No, you have the right to know, Yuzu. I always dreamt of studying in Switzerland and the schedule of my university tour was on the 28th of this month but,"** Mei said matter-of-factly but there was an undertone of nervousness in her voice.

 **"Thursday's your birthday, Mei,"** Yuzu said in a gentle voice. Her heart was beating so fast that it was almost leaping into her throat. **"I miss you."**

Mei breathed in deeply, trying to suppress the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She thought she'd always been the stronger one between the two of them but hearing Yuzu's voice was shaking down her inner walls.

 **"Let's go on a date when you come back or maybe dinner?"** Yuzu said as she watched a student run in the hallway.

 **"Where are you? You're supposed to be in your class, Yuzu."**

Turning around, Yuzu excused herself from Himeko and Taro. **"It's break time. How about you, Mei? Where are you now?"**

 **"I won't be able to make it to our first exhibit. You must give your all for our project, Yuzu. We're having a layover in Munich."**

Taking a deep breath, Yuzu hesitated to say something.

" **Yuzu, this competition means a lot to me."**

 **"It means a lot to me, too, Mei. But what am I supposed to do? The judges are terrifying and I'm alone."**

 **"I trust you."** Mei said, her voice was stern yet gentle. **"I'll guide through every step."**

 **"Mei, are you forgetting something?"**

 **"No, I'll list down all the possible questions that the judges may ask you and we can practice them over video calls until you're perfectly ready."**

 **"It's your birthday on Sunday,"** Yuzu said as she waved her hand at one of her classmates who was smiling at her. **"I wanted to surprise you."**

 **"No, please,"** Mei said in a tight voice.

Noting a bit of annoyance from her girlfriend's response, Yuzu thought of changing the topic to ease the tension but nothing was entering her mind.

 **"It's an ordinary day, Yuzu. It's nothing special."**

 _But you're special._

 **"Yuzu, if you treat that day like any other day, that would be good."**

With a slight frown, Yuzu let out a sigh. **"If that's what you want, then I'll do that."**

 **"Thank you. It's really not that special."**

 **"I love you,"** Yuzu said in a whisper. Her eyes were slightly watery and her heart was throbbing in quiet joy. She placed her hand close to her heart as she walked toward their homeroom.

Looking at the runway from the glass wall, Mei clutched the button of her coat against her chest. **"Aren't you late for Ozora-sensei's class?"**

 **"Nope!"** Yuzu said as she spotted a couple of birds on a tree branch.

 **"I hear some birds chirping."**

 **"Oh, yeah. There are two beautiful and colorful birds."** Yuzu said, pointing at the birds as if Mei could see them. **"They're so cute."**

Remembering the sound of chirping birds every afternoon during school week, Mei sighed audibly and leaned against a glass panel. Tilting her head back, she mentally convinced herself that studying in Switzerland would be a great choice since it had always been one of her favorite places in the world.

 **"Is everything okay, Mei?"** Yuzu said, filling in the long silence between them.

 **"Ich liebe dich."** Mei closed her eyes, restraining her heart from beating uncontrollably.

 **"What does that mean?"**

* * *

To be continued...

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. :)


	14. Chapter 14 - Desire for More

Chapter 14 - Desire for More

* * *

"Is everything okay, Mei?" Yuzu said, trying to fill the silence between them.

"Ich liebe dich." Mei closed her eyes, leaning lightly against the glass platform and restraining her heart form beating uncontrollably.

"What does that mean?"

"Good luck," Mei said, slightly smiling to herself.

"Right. I'll do my best." Yuzu flashed a big smile at Harumin while skipping over to her desk. "I love you." The words slipped out of Yuzu's lips smoothly making Harumin turn her face and raise a brow at her.

"I'll be hanging up now, Yuzu." Mei gracefully walked toward the gate, wondering if Yuzu would ever find out about what said earlier. She hoped she would.

Harumin walked over to Yuzu's desk with her arms on her hips. With prying eyes, she leaned in closer. "I love you?" Harumin drew head back and flicked her thumb against her chin. "Who's the person on the other line?"

"Mei." The name slipped out like a reflex. Yuzu quickly looked away and grabbed a couple of notebooks from her bag upon realizing her response.

 _I hope Harumin would ignore what I said._

"Why would you say that to the Prez?" Harumin turned around and lifted her head as she stared at the ceiling like an investigator trying to put the pieces together in her head.

"I love you, Harumin!" Yuzu nervously gushed, her face brimmed with a big smile against her anxiety.

Turning her face to look at Yuzu. Harumin sighed. "That makes me wonder how you can say those words so casually." Harumin's overly inquisitive eyes made Yuzu so uncomfortable that the blonde continued to fumble for anything in her bag. "When you said those words to me, you sounded so nervous, like I forced you to say them. But when you said 'I love you' to the Prez, you sounded happy and natural.

"Sounds and voices can lie, you know." Yuzu nervously tapped her pen on her desk.

Harumin leaned in again, looking ever so intense into Yuzu's emerald eyes. "What kind of relationship do you and Aihara Mei have?" She whispered in Yuzu's ear.

Yuzu's heart instantly beat like a bullet train, so fast it made her a little dizzy.

 _Shall I tell Harumin? There's no point in hiding the truth anyway. She'll eventually find out._

Out of nowhere, Harumin burst out laughing. Their other classmates looked at her with their brows furrowed in confusion.

"What is wrong with you?" Yuzu grabbed Harumin by her wrist and pressed it tightly. Somehow, she felt relieved at the thought that Harumin might have been joking.

"You looked so nervous, Yuzucchi!" Harumin chuckled as she spoke those words. "Sorry, sorry," she said, wiping away tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Why would you do that?" Yuzu's eyes squinted at Harumin as she crossed her arms. "Anyway, there's something I need to tell you." Her voice dropped to a serious tone as she rested her hands on top of her desk.

"Why do you look all serious now?" Harumin said as she tried to normalize her breathing. Noticing the expression on Yuzu's face, she lightly patted the blonde's head. "Okay, I'll listen."

All of a sudden, the door clicked open and almost everyone was stricken by nervousness. The students in groups disbanded immediately and dashed toward their seats.

"Ozora-sensei's here." Harumin hissed as she removed her hand from Yuzu's head. "Let's continue this later." She ran toward her desk.

* * *

A few days before the presentation, the qualifiers were given an opportunity to exhibit their business ideas. About nine pairs set up their booths for the exhibit. It was held in the open field to give them more exposure. The place was filled with charming stalls and kiosks.

Yuzu was the only one without a booth. As she watched the other pairs entertain their customers in their booths, she stood in the field with a big box full of fragrances. Mei had promised to take care of their stall but Yuzu had been waiting for almost a couple of hours for it to arrive since the start of the exhibit.

Looking around, she noticed how groups of students and even faculty members were lining up to buy customized wooden cellphone cases from the other team's booth. Letting out a sigh, Yuzu wondered if their booth would ever arrive. Calling Mei about the issue would just add to her girlfriend's worries, she thought.

"Yuzucchi!" Harumin dashed toward Yuzu. "What are you doing holding that box?"

Letting out a sigh of relief, Yuzu flashed Harumin a big smile. She put the box down before waving both of her arms at her best friend. "Still waiting for our booth." Yuzu shouted. Happiness was evident in her sweet face.

Checking her phone, Harumin creased her brows. "Well, missy, you only have two hours left to make some sale." Looking at box, she bent down and opened it. "I should probably contact Taro to help us out."

"Thanks, Harumin. You're the best!" Yuzu said, wrapping her arms tightly around around Harumin.

"My, my, Yuzucchi. Let me go."Harumin gently unwrapped Yuzu's arms before picking up two small boxes of perfumes. "Can we use these as samples?"

"Oh. That's beautiful," a female student said while looking at a cart from a short distance. Yuzu and Harumin curiously turned their faces toward its direction.

They gushed upon seeing it. The cart was a mini version of a hot air balloon. It had soft pink and orange balloons tied to the corners of its wooden basket. The wheels underneath made it easier for it to be pushed and pulled and positioned anywhere. All eyes turned to its beauty.

"Okogi Yuzu," Himeko said, emerging behind the men who were pushing the cart to the open field. "The president called me to make sure that your booth will be delivered on time."

"On time?" Harumin said, swiftly standing up and holding the two small boxes of fragrances. "Yuzu's been waiting forever."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I had to take care of a lot of student council work. I wish I had more free time like you do, Taniguchi-san," Himeko said, rolling her eyes to the heaven while making a gesture for the men to settle the cart in the empty space between the two booths.

"Don't give me that attitude, Vice Prez." Harumin walked toward the cart and placed the boxes atop the makeshift square table in the middle of the wooden basket.

"Attitude? I was just stating a fact. Besides, I'm here for the President," Himeko retorted, pointing her hand at one of the wheels that was stuck in the grass and instructing the men to fix it.

"Well, as losers, it's our responsibility to help our friends out, isn't it, Vice Prez?" Harumin hissed as she carefully arranged the cute bottles.

Slouching her shoulders, Himeko let out a sigh of annoyance. Looking at the tilted sign board, she immediately straightened it without giving Harumin a response.

"Here are the rest of the fragrances," Yuzu said, interrupting while carrying several small boxes of fragrances with her two hands. "Excuse me, Momokino-san." Yuzu walked between Harumin and Himeko to help arrange the fragrances into a beautiful pattern. A few minutes in, she jumped from her place when a music played in the background.

"Damn! What a booth," Harumin said, gushing and shifting her gaze between the booth and Himeko who was holding the small music player.

Yuzu searched for the hidden speakers at the corners of the wooden basket. "Why would Mei go all out like this?" she said under her breath.

"Haven't I told you that the President isn't familiar with the concept of losing?" Himeko raised an eyebrow while swiping at the small device on her hand to search for the 'proper' music as their background.

"But this is just an exhibit." Yuzu said, as she picked the last small box from the carton. "And she didn't tell me it was going to be this extravagant."

"Stop complaining, Okogi Yuzu," Himeko said as she guided the students and the teachers to form a horizontal line to avoid disturbing the other qualifiers.

"That's right, Yuzucchi. Look at all your customers." Harumin gently grabbed Yuzu's arm and turned her best friend's face to look at the long queue. "Bet the Prez would be happy to see this." Harumin said, taking out her phone, "I'll snap some photos."

"Hey, Yuzu!

Almost all of the female students in the field turned their heads over to see the Soccer Team Captain skip his way to Yuzu's booth.

"I'm glad that you're making yourself useful, Ryusuke-san," Himeko said, slightly squinting her eyes at the captain.

"Yuzu's a friend," Taro said as he stretched out his arm to make a gesture for the entire soccer team to approach the booth. "We're all here to support her and Aihara Mei."

As Yuzu, Harumin, Himeko, and Taro joined forces, more people lined up, waiting for their turn to purchase a bottle of fragrance. Even the other qualifying teams could not resist the combined charm radiating from the four students that they waited in line as well.

In less than an hour, all the items were sold out but the line was still long. Yuzu had no other choice but to create a waiting list on her phone. Approaching each person, Yuzu bowed and gave an apology before getting their contact details. Upon reaching the last person, her eyes widened while looking at the list.

"You already have list, Okogi-san. Can you still add my name to it?" a student said, looking at Yuzu's phone screen.

"Yes, of course. A portion of each sale goes to a local charity. Each buyer is important," Yuzu said, lifting her brows and smiling from ear to ear.

"But where is Aihara-san?" the female student asked while typing her details on Yuzu's phone.

Crinkling her eyes and nose, Yuzu tilted her head and had said, "She's in Switzerland."

"Is she attending her mother's wedding?" The student looked at Yuzu expectantly.

Yuzu looked away slightly. What was she supposed to say? The answer was clearly a resounding 'no'. But was it everyone's right to know it, too? She wondered.

"Okogi Yuzu!"

Everyone in line turned their faces toward Himeko who was firmly making her steps forward while holding her phone with her right hand.

Stroking the back of her head in a subtle way, Yuzu smiled at Himeko against her nervousness. "Momokino-san," she said in a low voice.

Although she was inches shorter than Yuzu and most of the people in the field, Himeko had that presence, a particular mix of power and annoyance. She squinted her eyes as Yuzu as she walked closer. "President Aihara Mei is on the phone and she wants to speak with you."

 _Why didn't Mei call my phone?_

Looking at her phone, Yuzu realized that she accidentally put it on an airplane mode and chuckled to herself while shaking her head.

With pursed lips and a glare, Himeko handed Yuzu her phone. "Make it quick." She demanded.

Clearing her throat, Yuzu gave Himeko a nervous smile. "Thanks, Momokino-san," she said as she slowly took the phone from Himeko and politely walked away from her and the crowd.

"Yuzu."

Upon hearing that voice on the other line, the joy in Yuzu's heart translated into a tinge of blush on her cheeks. Her face brimmed with a smile.

"Mei, everything was sold out." She gushed.

Breathing in the crisp and cool Swiss air, Mei sighed in delight. She held back a smile while scanning the university campus. "For that, I'll give you a reward when I'm back in Tokyo."

"Huh? A reward? You don't have to, Mei. I mean, it's our project."

"I see," Mei said with an undertone of disappointment.

Yuzu took a moment to ponder on the meaning behind what Mei was saying. Her eyes darted toward the swaying trees. "What kind of reward are you gonna give me," Yuzu said in a whisper.

"Forget about it. It's both our project and we share the same responsibility," Mei said in a stern yet playful way.

"What are you up to, Mei?"

"Well, a professor is currently giving us a tour of their university."

"You shouldn't be calling me if you're on a tour," Yuzu said, raising an eyebrow. "Did you sneak out?"

Letting out an audible sigh, Mei had said, "Unlike you, I politely asked for a short break."

"Unlike me? I would never sneak out just to talk to my girlfriend," Yuzu said with all conviction.

Mei made a sound of clearing her throat while squinting her eyes.

Yuzu chuckled.

"Cut it out, Yuzu."

"Anyway, our booth is standing out from the rest." Yuzu turned around and stared at their cart. "A lot of people are taking selfies with it as their background."

"It was designed by one of our company's architects."

"I could have just asked Mama, then."

"Let's not cause your mother any trouble, Yuzu."

"Mei..."

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

Leaning back against a big tree, Mei felt a slight tightness in her chest. "I," she said under her breath, pausing as if waiting for the courage to let her lips utter the next two magic words. "I am." She clenched her fist.

 _Is she really okay? Mei sounds a bit nervous._

"I can't wait to see you again, Mei." Yuzu's heart fluttered as she spoke whose words.

"Don't stress yourself too much, Yuzu."

"Yuzucchi!" Harumin hurried her way over to Yuzu. "Look at our teachers," Harumin said, stretching her arm out and pointed her hand at the faculty members who were taking photos of their booth.

With delightful eyes, Yuzu sighed and turned around covering the phone's microphone as the noise from the crowd was getting louder. "Mei, they seem to love our booth."

Feeling a sudden thud of joy, Mei leaned forward and gazed at the morning sky. "You should probably focus on them, Yuzu."

"What time is it in Switzerland?"

"Japan is ahead by seven hours."

Checking the time on her phone, Yuzu made a show of counting with her fingers. "It's ten or nine in the morning?"

"It's," Mei said, pausing and purposely prolonging the silence, "time for me to go."

"Okogi Yuzu," Himeko said in a gentle voice that caused Yuzu to raise a brow.

Yuzu turned her face toward Himeko's direction. A tall woman in a red business suit was walking beside Himeko. Yuzu noted how powerful yet feminine the woman looked. She was about the same age as Mei's mother.

"Okogi Yuzu," Himeko said upon reaching Yuzu. Turning and lifting her face at the woman, she had said, "Suzuki Rike, this is Okogi Yuzu. She's Aihara Mei's project partner."

The slight frown and tight eyes on the woman's beautiful face made Yuzu feel a little intimidated. She bowed at the woman before introducing herself.

"Thank you for inviting as one of the judges for the competition." Suzuki turned her face at Himeko. Her voice resembled that of a newscaster, modulated and a little monotonous.

"It's an honor, Suzuki-san," Himeko said as she slightly bowed again at the older woman. "Thank you for taking the time to visit the exhibit today."

The woman nodded in a regal way while keeping her lips pursed. Placing her black clutch bag to her side, she said, "Where's Aihara?"

"Mei is in Swi..." Before Yuzu could finish her sentence, Himeko coughed out loud and grabbed her wrist... tightly.

"She had to attend a special meeting. President Aihara will be back anytime soon," Himeko said as she pressed Yuzu's wrist while maintaining an eye contact with Suzuki Rike.

"Aihara is a hard worker, I see," Suzuki Rike said, casting a piercing and serious look at Himeko.

Yuzu, on the other hand, got the hint at what Himeko wanted to convey through her tight grip. The judge didn't have any idea as to Mei's whereabouts. As she looked at the woman, Yuzu wondered if Mei's absence would be a point against them. She nodded in agreement with Himeko's statement.

"Based on your overall presentation today, in this exhibit," Rike said, turning her head to look at Yuzu's booth, "you have my vote for the top spot." With a half smile, she continued, "But that doesn't carry much weight on your defense presentation."

"We understand, Suzuki-san," Himeko said as she pressed Yuzu's wrist ever so tightly.

"Yes, we're gonna do our best," Yuzu said, hissing. She flashed a smile against her confusion and anxiousness at older woman.

"I have an important event to attend to, I'll leave you alone now." Rike turned around and slowly walked away from the exhibit.

As Himeko watched Rike, she let out a sigh of relief. With every deep breathing, she felt her nervousness being melted away.

"Who's that, Momokino-san?"

"Suzuki Rike is one of the top investors in Tokyo. She's also the closest friend of Mei Mei's mother."

Tilting her head back, Yuzu flicked her thumb against her chin, "So, we wouldn't have a hard time on the presentation day."

Squinting her eyes at the blonde, Himeko clenched her jaw. "It would be the case if she doesn't loathe the Aihara Family."

* * *

Presentation day...

Only three pairs remained standing in the presentation day. It was held in one of the private meeting rooms in the hotel. The interior design was cozy and modern with a touch of luxury. There were six rectangular tables with three chairs each for the judges and the qualifying pairs' supporters.

Yuzu donned a business suit in light blue with her hair tied in a bun, looking as if she was going to a trial court defending her client. With her silver high heels, she easily commanded the attention in the room. She made sure to stand out among the rest to cancel out Mei's absence. After all, she made a promise to give it her all.

She awaited anxiously for her turn to deliver her piece. On the stage, there were five chairs for the presenters. Imitating Mei's prim and proper demeanor while sitting, Yuzu imagined how proud Mei would be seeing her so calm and poised against the deep nervousness she was hiding inside.

"Thank you, Sato-san and Yamada-san." Uchida-sensei announced as the first pair delivered a wonderful and informative presentation. He was the the event's emcee. "Your proposal is innovative and can change how small retail shops conduct their business. Well, please stay for the Q&A session at the end of all the presentations."

"Relax," Yuzu said under her breath, mentally trying to calm herself. Her chest was heaving and her fingers were slightly fidgeting. "Everything will be okay. "Mei will be proud of you." She silently continued saying her mantra.

"Alright." Unchida-sensei pointed the remote at the center of the stage. A video started to play and everyone's focus was tuned in to it. A clip showed Mei and Yuzu's trip at the orchard in Okinawa and how organic their raw materials were for their fragrance. After a few clips, they were now seen visiting a local animal rescue center. In the clip, Mei was explaining how a portion of their sales would automatically go to charities like the rescue center.

"Ladies and gentleman, let's learn more about this inspiring business for a cause project." Unchida-sensei made a gesture for Yuzu to walk toward the center of the stage.

The judges' brows creased as Yuzu walked alone over to the center. One of them browsed over the document she had to look for the requirements for the pairs to meet in order to qualify.

"You're alone." The only female judge sneered. Her one eyebrow was raised and she had that close-lipped smile that made her look angry and smug at the same time. "That's one of the grounds for disqualification."

One of the male judges stood up and walked over to the female judge. Fixing his eyeglasses, he focused on the bullet points on the document that the female judge was referring to. "Suzuki-san, you're being too harsh," he said matter-of-factly. Then he looked at the nervous blonde up on the stage and nodded for her to start.

Yuzu moved her head softly from side to side. She slightly turned around and darted her gaze toward the projector screen. A photo of her and Mei appeared along with the title of their project, A business for a cause: 1 for 1.

"1 for 1, what do we mean by this?" Yuzu said with a confident questioning voice as she consciously scanned the room. After a few seconds, she shifted her gaze among the three judges who were sitting in front of them. "It means 50% of our sale for each product will go directly to a chosen charity."

Like a caterpillar that turned into a butterfly, Yuzu glided on the stage while keeping a steady eye contact with the audience. "So, why did Aihara Mei and I decide to take on this venture?" Yuzu slowly made her way to the center. "It's because we want to create a difference, we want to raise awareness about social issues affecting our society and at the same time, we want to make a contribution."

Yuzu noted how Harumin was pressing her hands together while staring fixedly at her. The rest of the audience followed her every movement on stage. "For us, we don't compete to make ourselves look better than others. I remember Aihara Mei telling me that those who lay down their business for others, write their own ticket."

As Yuzu was about to continue, she noticed a familiar person enter the room from the back. Her heart almost leapt intro her throat out of delight. She smiled at the the newcomer.

Everyone turned their faces to the back and was instantly magnetized by the regal presence of a tall student who was standing confidently behind the last table at the right side.

 _Mei is here._

Slowly, Yuzu walked to the side and took a deep breath. As she glanced across the corner, she smiled when Mei gave her an encouraging look. "We're here not to compete with these wonderful teams." She stretched her left arm and pointed her hand at their two competitors. "We compete only with ourselves, with our fears, or doubt, or the negative voice that constantly belittles us. And I, personally wouldn't allow them to win against our intention to contribute to others."

Breathing in deeply, Yuzu noted the attentive expression on the faces of the audience. "So, that's what social entrepreneurship is."

A round of applause reverberated in the room. Taro was pumping his fist in the air while Harumin clenched her hands above her head. Himeko turned around to look at Mei and uttered "congratulations" and smiled at the raven-haired. The male judges gave Yuzu a standing ovation.

The female judge sneered. "What a moving presentation. Do you know what it takes to be called a social entrepreneur?"

Yuzu bowed before the female judge. Her heart was beating uncontrollably fast.

 _Please, help me anyone._

 _"_ Go Yuzu." A voice emerged from the audience. Somehow, it broke off the seriousness in front of stage as they turned their faces over to the back. Taro acted normally.

Yuzu took a deep breath and darted her gaze toward Mei as if to gain some courage. "Good question, Suzuki-san." She walked slowly over to the center. "I think a social entrepreneur is someone who is willing to help others without expecting anything in return."

"Do you mean someone who is kind?" Suzuki Rike said while giving Yuzu a subtle glare.

Yuzu nodded and flashed a big smile at the female judge. "Yes, they must be kind."

"How do you define kindness, Okogi?" Suzuki Rike asked, crossing her arms and tilting her head.

"Kindness is being..."

Suzuki Rike shamelessly interrupted Yuzu. She turned her face over to the back and, with a glower, settled her stare at Mei. "Aihara Mei, if you don't mind, please join Okogi on stage. You're still part of this pairing, anyway."

Mei slightly bowed her head at the judge. All eyes in the room focused on the raven-haired as she walked elegantly toward the center. She was the epitome of grace under pressure.

"Please continue with your answer, Okogi," Suzuki Rike said in a commanding voice as she straightened the back of her skirt before getting ready to sit.

Before looking at the judges, Yuzu smiled at Mei and made a gesture for the raven-haired to stand beside her. "Thank you, Suzuki-san. Kindness is one of the consequences of love. When we're kind, we're willing to look past the flaws of others."

Making a show of clearing her throat audibly, Suzuki Rike interrupted again. "We're willing to look past the flaws of others? Aihara Mei, so you think you have what it takes to do that in order to be a social entrepreneur?

Slightly tilting her head, Mei kept a steady eye contact with the female judge. Not a single anxiety was evident in her posture. "May I know the reason behind your asking this personal question, Suzuki-san?"

"You have a unique business idea." Suzuki Rike stood up from her seat. "It makes me wonder how you were able to come up with this concept about helping others when," she said, pausing and turned around as she scanned the room, hoping to get everyone's attention. "You're not willing to show the same kindness to your own mother. Isn't that similar to being a hypocrite?"

Almost everyone in the audience placed their hands over their mouths, shocked at Suzuki Rike's banter.

With an unfazed look on her face, Mei curved the corner of her lip and stared at the female judge. "Clearly, you must have overlooked the qualifications of being our judge. Please refer to page 19, Suzuki-san." Mei straightened her back while keeping her gaze darted toward the judge and her mother's closest friend. "A judge must not have any bias or preconceived notion towards the contestants. Would you like me to expound that line?"

One of the judges made a show of coughing to hide his laughter. "Well done, Aihara-san." He stood up and clapped his hands. As he turned his face to the side and noticed the tight-lipped smile and flushed complexion on Suzuki Rike's face, he gulped and stopped himself from clapping. "I mean, let us know more about your proposal, Aihara-san."

* * *

At Mei's hotel room...

With wide eyes and a face that was brimming with excitement, Yuzu hurried her way in the Presidential Suite. "Damn! Tokyo Bay looks beautiful from here," she said, staring fixedly out the window. "Mei, why did they upgrade your room?"

Putting her bag on the the beige sofa, Mei let out a sigh. "You were there when I checked in, Yuzu."

Yuzu turned around and giggled to herself. "Yeah, you're one of their most valued guests," she said while softly stroking the back of her hair. Then she leaned back and gazed at Mei.

"What?" the raven-haired asked as she sat lightly on the sofa.

"Mei, you were so calm when you answered Suzuki Rike's question. My palms were sweating the whole time."

"I've been to worse situations," Mei said, grabbing something from her handbag. "People who use intimidation to get what they want are often the weakest."

Slowly, Yuzu walked over to the chair near the TV. Breathing in the fresh scent of the newly-cleaned suite, she rested her hand on top of the sofa. "Do you think, we made it, Mei?"

Clutching her pen, Mei stared at the beautifully arranged flowers in the center of the small table. "I am not sure."

With a chuckle, Yuzu sat on the chair. "But it feels like we already won. Suzuki Rike was being a pain in the neck and you calmly put her in place." Yuzu leaned back. "Everyone was entertained. The judges were clearly on your side, Mei."

"It seems to be so." Mei sighed as she slowly took off her blazer. Tucking the length of her hair to the right side of her shoulder, she noted how Yuzu had been staring the whole time.

With a slight blush on her cheeks, Yuzu looked away. "You look cute on that, Mei," she spoke under her breath.

"What were you saying, Yuzu?" Mei softly and carefully inched toward Yuzu who was avoiding any type of eye contact.

 _I said she was cute. She should have heard that._

Yuzu stood up from her seat and walked over to the window.

"Are you trying to avoid me, Yuzu?" Mei slowly got up the sofa and moved toward the window. "Are you alright?" She whispered in Yuzu's ear causing the blonde to jolt in her place.

Fighting the urge to look at Mei, Yuzu simply nodded. She stepped away from Mei as she felt her body getting a little warmer.

"Are you having a fever again? I'm sorry if you had to shoulder a lot of tasks while I was away," Mei said, looking down to the side and softly rubbing her arm. "You must have worn yourself out again." She stepped back and kept a short distance from Yuzu.

"No. It's not that." Yuzu turned around and grabbed both of Mei's hands. She shut her eyes almost forcefully and took a deep breath to stop her heart from racing faster than a train. After gaining enough courage, she leaned in and gave Mei a soft and sweet kiss. It felt so endearing and tender as if she conveyed how much she missed her.

"What was that for?" Mei spoke in a soft whisper as soon as Yuzu broke off the kiss. Her eyes were closed and her lips remained partly opened.

"Mei." Yuzu gasped as she studied carefully her girlfriend's face. She thought how beautiful Mei was even without any makeup on.

 _And her lips are so soft and kissable._

"Don't keep me waiting," Mei said, gently lifting her head forward and anticipating Yuzu's advances. In that brief moment, she held herself back from leaning forward. But nothing happened so she softly grabbed Yuzu's face and leaned in to kiss her.

Yuzu was struggling to keep her hands to herself. With every kiss she shared with Mei, in that moment, her body grew warmer and she felt goosebumps everywhere. She sighed when the kiss was broken off.

"We should probably have dinner, first." Mei's breathing was heavy as she spoke those words. She slowly turned around and reached for her phone in her bag. "There's a Japanese restaurant on the second floor," she said, searching for some photos of the restaurant on her phone.

"Maybe, it's better if I go back to my room." Yuzu held her stomach in as she tried to get rid of the desire that settled there. Slowly, she walked toward the door while avoiding any form of eye contact with Mei.

With a sigh, Mei agreed. It was for the best, she had thought. They were probably not ready to take things to the next level. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, then," she sad as both of them reached the door.

For one last time, Yuzu turned her face to look at Mei. She smiled against her tension as she tried her best not to lean in. "I know what it meant," she mumbled causing Mei to arch a brow.

"What do you mean, Yuzu?"

"Ich liebe dich means..." she said, pausing to analyze Mei's reaction.

Quickly, Mei turned around and walked a step forward.

"See you tomorrow." Yuzu opened the door and made her way out.

As soon as Yuzu left, Mei held her hand close to her chest. Her heart was beating uncontrollably and just like Yuzu, an obvious energy of desire settled in her stomach. Taking a deep breath, she mentally reminded herself about the dire consequences if she gave in to her selfish desire.

She walked toward her bed as she continued to ponder. Hoping for the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach to disappear, she breathed in deeply but to no avail. As her slender fingers softly touched her lips, someone rang the doorbell.

Who could it be, Mei thought, before standing up from the edge of the bed. Straightening the side of her dress, she slowly made her way toward the door. Her heart was still beating fast. She struggled to keep a neutral expression upon opening the door.

"Mei," Yuzu said under her breath. Her left hand was clenching the hem of her jacket. She struggled to keep a steady eye contact with Mei. "Can I stay here for a while?"

Without saying a word, Mei opened the door, allowing Yuzu to freely get in the room.

The silence in the room enveloped them, in that particular moment. If they listened closely, they could hear the sound of their hearts pounding out of their chests.

Mei turned the TV on to fill in the silence but they were both startled when a loud music played on the background. Dashing toward the TV, Yuzu connected her phone through a cable and chose songs from her playlist.

"Is it better, Mei?" Yuzu settled her phone near the TV, thankful that the music turned into something slow, mellow... and romantic. It was her go-to playlist whenever she thought of Mei, especially the days they were apart. The songs kept her sane.

With an approving nod, Mei slowly walked away from the area.

A mix of nervousness and excitement crept into Yuzu. The sexual tension between them was obvious and she didn't know what to do. "Do you still remember how it was to answer the getting-to-know you questions, Mei?"

From the gorgeous bedroom behind a thick wall that was separating them, Mei remained silent. How could she forget? She was the one who prepared the questions.

"Can we play that game again?" Yuzu gushed, staring at the moonlight out the window. It was beautifully illuminating the surrounding area.

A firm 'no' emerged from the bedroom causing Yuzu to squint her eyes a little.

"Why not? It's a great idea." She insisted, curving her lips and grateful for the thick wall that separated them in that moment for Mei could not see her sour expression.

"Why did you come back?" Mei asked without hesitation which startled Yuzu.

"Are we playing this game now?" Yuzu, ever so slowly walked over the bedroom. "If we are, we must set some rules before I answer that question."

With a sigh Mei turned around and was now face to face with Yuzu. "What are the rules, then?" Her face had that neutral expression.

Yuzu looked away and started to massage her left temple. She jolted in her place when she thought of the best rule for the game. "If I hesitate to answer any question, you can do anything to me."

"I see. The rule applies to me as well, doesn't it?" Mei said in a low whisper, keeping an eye contact with Yuzu.

With an enthusiastic nod, Yuzu flashed a big smile at the raven-haired. "Let me start. What is your favorite thing about..."

All of a sudden she was interrupted by a kiss on the lips from Mei.

"You didn't answer my question, earlier, did you?" Mei said after softly breaking off the kiss. "That was your punishment." She turned around and sat on the bed.

Yuzu's world stood still.

"Yuzu," Mei said, pulling Yuzu out of her thoughts. "Why," she paused and let out a soft sigh, "do you like me?" Her heart started to pound harder and louder.

With a step forward, Yuzu sat at the edge of the bed, behind Mei. "The truth is," she said, staring at the lampshade on the bedside table, "I don't know."

Slightly turning her face, she cast a glance at Yuzu from the corner of her eye.

"You make me happy when you're around and this," Yuzu said, placing her hand to her chest, close to her heart. A tear escaped from her eye, "beats faster when I think of you."

Softly, Mei straightened her back and turned to face Yuzu. Her expression was neutral as she studied Yuzu's face. "It's your turn to ask a question, Yuzu."

Creasing her brows, Yuzu looked away to hide the blush on her cheeks. "Okay." She cleared her throat before holding her breath. "Same question."

"You're very original." Mei playfully retorted. She tilted her head and her eyes remained locked on Yuzu.

"So," Yuzu said in a prolonged way while raising both of her eyebrows, expecting a well-thought-out answer from Mei.

More than two minutes in, Mei remained silent while keeping a steady eye contact with Yuzu. She crossed her arms and gently moved her head to the other side.

 _Is she purposefully doing this? She looks very cute though._

"I'm going to punish you for not answering the question, Mei."

Mei closed her eyes and silently waited for her 'punishment'.

 _What should I do? She kissed me already so that won't be original. But her lips are so tempting and they're soft._

Yuzu leaned in and her lips instinctively found Mei's.

When the music turned into something slower and even more sensual, Mei deepened the kiss. With every musical note and passionate kiss, the fire between them ignited. The heat was slowly starting to overflow and burn through their cheeks.

Yuzu gave up her control as she slowly lost her mind. It was just the two of them sharing an intimate moment together. She didn't mind her pulse losing its rhythm or her heart pumping a rush of blood through her veins uncontrollably. She was ready... to lose it. Gently, she leaned back on the bed before wrapping her arms around Mei.

The sudden embrace from Yuzu and the passionate kisses sent a rush of heat to Mei's core and she whimpered. Laying on top of Yuzu, she gently drew her head back to catch some air. It had never occurred to her to feel anything like that. Grabbing Yuzu's arms, she lay on the bed, allowing the blonde to take the lead, this time. She tilted her head, hinting Yuzu to caress her neck with kisses. It had always been her weak spot.

Yuzu craved for it. She needed to feel Mei's warm skin on her lips. The desire to please her grew stronger. It was a sensual way to get closer to her. As Mei tipped her head back, Yuzu devoured her exposed skin with kisses. She closed her eyes and felt Mei's pulsating vein against the softness of her skin.

Mei groaned as the heat intensified. She loosened her clenched fist and drove her hands into Yuzu's blonde hair. Unbuttoning Yuzu's blouse, she rested her hands around her waist. She tightened her grip as Yuzu nibbled her neck. It never crossed her mind to experience those wonderful and delicious moments. She let out a moan as Yuzu sucked a delicate part of her skin. Another mark, she thought.

The touch of Mei's warm hands on her skin made Yuzu moan and shiver. She wanted more.

* * *

A/N  
Hi, everyone,

Thank you so much for reading this story. I sincerely appreciate it. I hope you're still enjoying this. 3

I'm just so happy that we got our happy ending from Citrus and I'm sure you guys are happy too?

Also, writing love scenes isn't my forte'. I hope you forgive me if I would make any mistake on the next chapter.

Have a beautiful day.


	15. Chapter 15 - What Love Can Do

Chapter 15 - What Love Can Do

A/N: This has some love scenes.

* * *

Mei groaned as the heat intensified. She loosened her clenched fist and drove her hands into Yuzu's blonde hair. After unbuttoning Yuzu's blouse, she rested her hands around her waist. She tightened her grip as Yuzu nibbled her neck. It never crossed her mind to experience those wonderful and delicious moments. She let out a moan as Yuzu sucked a delicate part of her skin. Another mark, she thought.

The touch of Mei's warm hands on her skin made Yuzu moan and shiver. She wanted more. When Yuzu opened her eyes, she noted how beautiful Mei was even in that intimate moment. No, she was more beautiful now that her guards were down, Yuzu mentally corrected herself.

"Maybe we're getting a little fast, Mei," Yuzu said, whispering, gasping. Although she wanted more, a twinge of guilt crept up in her.

"You're right," Mei said with heavy breaths. Leaning forward, she sat on the bed while trying to keep an eye contact with Yuzu. "Let's take things slow, perhaps."

Now that Yuzu's hands have registered the feel of Mei's delicate skin, she struggled to keep them to herself. But she needed to. She clenched her fists before placing them behind her. "Hey, let's continue our game," Yuzu said as she slowly turned her body to the side and sat on the edge of the bed. "Mei, do you really want to want to study in Switzerland?"

Mei bent her head down slightly, hesitating. While her breathing normalized, her heart was still racing. Her mind was telling her 'yes' but her heart left her silent. As she lifted her head, her eyes were captivated by Yuzu's profile. She looked beautiful. Leaning in slowly, she kissed her on the cheek.

As the music changed into something a little upbeat, Mei stood from the bed and, with a gesture, hinted Yuzu to do the same.

"You didn't answer my question, Mei."

"Then, do whatever you want."

With a sigh, Yuzu stood and pulled Mei closer, planting a soft kiss on her left cheek. Her heart started to race again. Like a reflex, she kissed Mei's other cheek before trailing down her jawline.

Mei whimpered. What was it about Yuzu's kisses? She wanted to feel them more and more, on her lips, on her neck, on her body. They were addictive yet reassuring. "Yuzu," she said between her moans, "let's take things slow."

Yuzu slowly drew her head back, breathing heavily, foolishly, eyes filled with lust. More, she thought. But Mei had a request and she needed to pay heed to it.

They both wanted more. It was obvious. Their emotions were palpable.

"Let's watch a movie," Yuzu said, gently grabbing Mei's wrist as she walked out of the bedroom, toward the elegant curved sofa.

"Let go." The raven-haired protested, refusing to be dragged, but to no avail.

Humming along with the music on the background, Yuzu walked toward the TV to grab her phone. "What would you want to watch, Mei?" she said, unlocking her phone and turning the TV on.

"I'll order something for dinner," Mei said, as she took a brochure that contained photos and information of the restaurants in the hotel. "I'd like some Japanese food for dinner? She dialed the number on her phone before turning around to face Yuzu. "What would you like to have, Yuzu?"

Without giving any second thought, Yuzu enthusiastically nodded in agreement. "That's good. I want that too."

"Again, very original." She slowly turned and walked toward the fleetwood luxury window, mesmerized by the stars that were glowing in the sky.

"You have good taste. I trust you, Mei." Yuzu started to play one of the movies she saved on her phone. It was a random foreign film she downloaded recently. As she walked over to the sofa, her eyes were locked in on Mei who was on the phone. Because of that, she tripped over the edge of the table, collapsing on the nearby sofa.

 _Clumsy. I hope Mei didn't notice that._

When the raven-haired ended the call by uttering the words "thank you," Yuzu forcefully focused all her attention on the movie.

"Since when have you been interested in German movies?"

Yuzu froze in her position. The memory of her speaking to google voice, imitating Mei's accent when she said 'ich liebe dich' flashed before her eyes. After figuring out its meaning, curiosity got the best of her so downloaded a couple of German films for research.

With an arched brow, Mei moved to a place where she could give Yuzu a glare. "You're earning a punishment for not answering that question."

Yuzu surprisingly maintained an eye contact with Mei amidst her quivering lips and fast-beating heart. "How do you say I love you in German?"

Leaning back, Mei gently stretched the length of her body and covered her mouth. "I haven't had enough rest yet." With slow steps, she made her way to the bedroom, wondering why she was anxious on her flight back to Tokyo. It was their presentation day, after all, she rationalized. But it wasn't just that. She missed seeing her, listening to her voice. She missed Yuzu more than she could ever admit.

Yuzu tilted her head back before letting out a deep and long sigh. Disappointment was evident in the air. She looked at the TV screen and slowly allowed herself to accept the fact that her chances to get an answer from Mei were slim to none.

"There's something that I need to tell you, Yuzu."

The blonde jumped up in her seat. It was as if her body automatically moved in response to Mei's voice that was coming from the bedroom. When she reached the room, Mei was comfortably lying on the bed with both hands tucked under her cheek.

"I used to say 'I love you" everyday to my mother when I was little," Mei said, gesturing for Yuzu to lie beside her which the blonde gladly obliged. They were now lying face-to-facve, next to each other. "Then, she changed." Mei continued as she looked softly into Yuzu's eyes.

Yuzu noted how Mei tried to blink back a tear that formed on the corner of her eye. Reaching out for her girlfriend's face, Yuzu gently caressed her cheek wiping away a tear. "Are you scared that I'll change, Mei?" she whispered, keeping her eyes locked in on Mei's.

Inching her face closer, Mei softly brushed her lips against Yuzu's. Although it was sweet and endearing, it had a tinge of fear and Yuzu felt it against the softness of her lips.

As soon as Mei drew her head back, Yuzu kissed her. It was reassuring. Yuzu smiled as she gently pulled away. "I'll never change and I made a promise. I will never hurt you, Aihara Mei."

"I love you."

Yuzu almost froze upon hearing those words from Mei. Every word... no, every letter felt like a beautiful music to her ear.

"Yuzu, are you okay?" Mei's beautiful expression turned into worry.

Looking into Mei's eyes, Yuzu moved closer and wrapped her arms tenderly around Mei. "I love you so much," she whispered before gently letting go. "Do you really wanna study in Switzerland?"

The expression on Yuzu's eyes made Mei look away. Their faces were just an inch apart. "Yes," Mei said under her breath as she closed her eyes.

"If that's what you want, then I'll support you."

"You're too close, Yuzu." Mei's breath sent shivers down Yuzu's spine.

Yuzu was trying, almost struggling, to hold herself back. Her lips were begging.

"Let's have a rest. I have a flight to Hiroshima tomorrow morning." Mei mumbled as she was slowly drifting into sleep.

"What? Why? Hiroshima?"

"It's part of our CSR activities. Since, my father is still in Switzerland, I need to be there as his representative."

"CSR?"

"Corporate Social Responsibility. You can come, if you want. After the flooding incident, most of houses and the roads need to be cleaned."

Yuzu smiled sweetly at Mei as if she could see her before planting a kiss on her forehead. "You never fail to impress me, Mei," she whispered.

With her eyes closed, Mei let out a long exhale before uttering the next few words. "I'm a hypocrite." Her voice almost cracked.

Pulling Mei closer, Yuzu brushed a strand of hair against her forehead. Her touch was enough to melt Mei's worries. "You're not perfect. Although you can be intimidating, you're never a hypocrite," she whispered as she locked her hand with Mei. Yuzu's heart were beating fast, almost leaping out of her chest as she watched Mei fall into a slumber.

 _She looks beautiful._

* * *

A day after the successful exhibit, Yuzu invited everyone out for a treat at the place where she and Mei had their first kiss. As she pulled a chair, her mind drifted into a scene where Mei was handing her a folder and how she felt nervous sitting beside her for the first time. Looking at the counter, Yuzu smiled at the waitress who served them their Crepes.

Yuzu checked the time on her phone and smiled to herself, thinking how early she was for the meeting. As the Bossa nova music played on the background, Yuzu looked out the glass window and grinned at a kid who was riding a bike. She was especially in a good mood. Her energy was setting a good tone in the Crepe House.

"Yuzucchi." Harumin's booming voice pulled everyone in the establishment out of their peaceful state. Looking across, she noted a couple of people glaring at her but she walked over to Yuzu with her chin up.

Yuzu waved a hand at Harumin while giving a bow of apology to the three people who were looking at her.

"You're here early?" Harumin said, pulling out a gorgeous wooden chair. She placed her cap on the table and her bag on another chair.

"Yeah, I didn't mean to be too early," Yuzu retorted, slightly pushing Harumin's chair to the side so the brunette could sit comfortably.

"Looks like the Prez is being a good influence on you. You became a little time-conscious."

Tilting her head slightly to the side, Yuzu sighed. "Yeah, she is."

Harumin fanned herself with her cap as she sat down. "It was so hot outside," she said as she fixed the side of her. "Let's order something cold."

Opening the menu, Yuzu noticed a special dessert that caused her to smile to herself and rest her hand on her palm. "Let's have Affogato, Harumin."

"Affoga-what?" Harumin leaned over to Yuzu's side and checked the menu. "Oh, that looks delicious," she said as she ran her index finger on the description, carefully reading each line.

"Hi," the waitress said, holding a smartphone and giving Yuzu a smile before opening the order-taking app. "What would you like to have? Oh, where's your lovely girlfriend, Miss?"

Yuzu froze in her seat. A memory flashed before her eyes where Mei turned down a guy's request while declaring she was her girlfriend.

"Girlfriend?" Harumin raised her brow and lightly scratched the side of her head. "You mean a girl friend? Well, Yuzu has lots of girl friends."

Yuzu laughed against her nervousness and raised her face to look at the waitress. With all subtlety, she shook her head slowly and silently uttered the words 'she doesn't know.'

"Hey, we have a list of new drinks. I'd be happy to let you try them and get your feedback," the waitress said as she locked her phone before putting it in her pocket.

Yuzu grabbed her phone from the table and excused herself from Harumin. "Sure. Free drinks for me," she said as she approached the waitress.

"They're in our kitchen. Come with me," the waitress said, turning her face slightly to the side while making a gesture for Yuzu to follow her. As they were getting near the door, the waitress sighed and noted the extreme nervousness that was obvious in Yuzu's eyes. "I'm sorry for being tactless but are you okay?"

"No, it's me who should be sorry," Yuzu said as she leaned back against the wall. "When we went here for the first time, we weren't girlfriends yet."

"Oh." The waitress' attention was tuned in to Yuzu's direction.

"Mei and I recently became official," Yuzu said, tilting her head back while staring at the wooden pattern on the ceiling. "No one knows yet." She breathed in deeply after speaking those words.

"Where is she?" the waitress asked, trying to ease Yuzu's anxiety.

"In Hiroshima for a volunteer work." Yuzu closed her eyes as she spoke. For a moment, a part of her wanted Mei to stay in Tokyo.

"She's not only beautiful but also she has a heart of gold. I'm Jen and I own this Crepe House."

"What?" Yuzu hissed as she paused and creased her brows. "I thought you were working here part time."

With a chuckle, Jen said, "When your girlfriend comes back from Hiroshima, stop by this place. It would be good for our business to have some lovely faces around."

"Okogi Yuzu!"

Everyone darted their attention toward the entrance. Their wide gazes settled at the short girl in a maroon doll dress.

"Never knew you were into cosplaying, Momokino." Taro said as he emerged behind Himeko.

"Being a gentleman is a concept unfamiliar to you, it seems?" Himeko said, lifting her head up while glaring at the young man.

Flicking both of his hands open, Taro retorted, "What's wrong with I said?"

"Hey guys!" Harumin blurted out from her seat with one hand in the air. She made a gesture for them to join her.

Yuzu flashed a big yet nervous smile at the newcomers. "Thanks for agreeing to come today, guys."

Lowering her eyebrows and adjusting her elegant maroon handbag, Himeko cast a glare at Yuzu. "I'm doing this for President Aihara."

Amused yet nervous, Yuzu chuckled as she led them to their table. "About that, Momokino-san. Tomorrow is Mei's birthday," Yuzu said when they reached Harumin.

"I know," both Taro and Himeko said in unison which made Harumin raise her brow.

Taro looked around and noticed how cozy the place was. His glance shifted between the the photo of a soccer player on the wall and the small speaker that was almost next to it. "Bossa nova reminds me of my mom," he said a few seconds after a new track played.

"Hey Captain. You don't look like someone who likes this type of music." Harumin sneered.

"My mom used to be a singer and she sang at weddings and special events. She even sang at the wedding of Aihara Mei's parents," Taro said as he stretched in his seat. The chair was a little small for him.

Letting out a short exhale, Yuzu sat lightly in her seat near the glass window. She closed her eyes to gather some courage as she rested both of her hands on the table. "Mei and I would like to thank all of you for helping us out during the exhibit."

Taro and Harumin tilted their heads while Himeko squinted her eyes.

"We made enough money and," Yuzu said, pausing and breathing in deeply, "Mei thought about doing volunteer work in Hiroshima."

Raising all of their eyebrows, they looked at Yuzu expectantly.

"Hiroshima is in need of volunteers after the flooding," Yuzu continued. She looked away slightly and cleared her throat. "We're inviting, you guys, to do volunteer work with us."

With no hesitation, Himeko exclaimed. "I'm in! I'm certain that the president was the only one who came up with this brilliant idea."

With a slight slam on the table, Harumin sneered. "What're you talking about, Vice Prez? Of course, Yuzu's part of it too. She's partners with the Prez!"

"Taniguchi just scored a goal, everyone," Taro said, bringing a fist close to his mouth as if it was a microphone. He did his best impression of a sports TV commentator.

"Count me in, Yuzucchi." Harumin leaned back in her seat and opened her calendar app.

"Thanks, Momokino-san," Yuzu said, making an eye contact with Himeko. She shifted her gaze at Harumin. "I can always count on you, Harumin."

Stretching his back and moving his head from side to side, Taro had said, "Where's Aihara Mei?"

Pressing both of her hands together, Yuzu sighed. "She's actually waiting for us in Hiroshima," she paused and shifted her gaze among her three friends before continuing, "right now."

"What?!" Harumin, Himeko, and Taro blurted out. They all stared at her with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, guys! Everything is settled from our plane tickets to our accommodation," Yuzu said with a nervous giggle. Her heart was pounding out of her chest.

"Okogi Yuzu, I'm sure you're responsible for this impromptu activity." Himeko shook her head in disappointment. "President Aihara would have definitely planned ahead of time."

Yuzu just scratched her head and giggled in her seat.

"When are we flying to Hiroshima?" Harumin asked as she fixed some loose strands of hair while looking at her phone screen.

"Tomorrow morning," Yuzu hissed.

"What?" was the only word they had uttered in response. Shocked.

* * *

At the Hiroshima Airport...

Each carrying their own backpack that contained gloves, sunscreens, garbage bags, Yuzu, Harumin, Himeko, and Taro waited for their organizer at the arrival lobby of the airport. They all looked ready for the job.

Yuzu scanned the lobby and noticed more than a hundred people form into several groups. Some wore shirts with the word 'volunteer' printed on the back and most of them had serious expressions on their faces.

"President Aihara informed us that the organizer will be arriving soon," Himeko said as she tapped on her smartphone. She looked oddly simple with a pair of shorts and long sleeved shirt.

Yuzu nodded and flashed her a smile.

"This will look good on my college application," Taro said, flicking a thumb under his chin.

His comment made Himeko roll her eyes and sigh deeply in annoyance.

"What? What did I do now?" He hissed, both palms open while looking at the short girl.

"Hey guys," Yuzu said, interrupting and making a gesture for them to turn their faces over to a tall woman who was walking toward them and wearing a shirt with the logo of the Aihara Corporation. "I think she's our organizer."

The four of them bowed at her as soon as she approached them.

"Welcome to Hiroshima. My name is Natsuno Ito. I'm one of the managers in the Corporate Social Responsibility division at the Aihara Group," she said, giving them a nod as she spoke.

"It's nice to meet you, Ito-san," they all said simultaneously. "Please, take care of us"

"You can call me Natsuno. I'll be taking you to one of the cities in Hiroshima. It had been devastated by the heavy rain, last month." She made a gesture for them to follow her as she walked toward their car.

"Yuzucchi, what have we gotten ourselves into?" Harumin whispered, noticing more volunteers began streaming into the airport as soon as they were leaving.

"Aihara Mei is waiting for all of you there," Natsuno said as she opened the door of an SUV. "Just a reminder, it's important to always keep yourselves safe."

"Yes, Sensei," Yuzu said absentmindedly making Natsuno and the others break into laughter.

Yuzu stroke the back of her hair while nervously giggling. "I mean Natsuno."

* * *

Upon their arrival in the city, Yuzu had immediately darted her gaze toward the girl in white long-sleeved shirt. She was wearing a pair of light blue jeans. Although she had a mask on, Yuzu, could recognize her from afar. From the way she tied her hair in a ponytail to how she was standing gracefully under the heat of the sun surrounded by mud-caked roads, Yuzu knew who she was. Her heart missed a beat, almost.

"Is that the Prez? Impressive," Harumin said in a low voice, subtly pointing her hand at the shovel Mei was holding.

"Here we are." Natsuno parked her car at a short distance from the area they were assigned to. At that time, there were already more than a hundred volunteers shoveling the mud from the road.

Yuzu was the first one to step out of the car.

"Since you're all very young, we will be constantly guiding you," Natsuno said, leading them to the group of volunteers from the Aihara Corporation, "Safety is our number one priority. You may wear your gloves now," she continued while handing them each a shovel.

"Thank you, Natsuno-san." Yuzu grabbed the shovel, subtly casting her glance at the raven-haired who was fixing her hat. She smiled to herself and even shook her head lightly in delight when she noticed how Mei continued to clear her area without complaining.

 _I've never seen her like this before._

"You may start from here," Natsuno walked over to Mei's designated area. "Never forget to hydrate and take a rest should you feel exhausted."

"Thank you, Ito-san," Mei said, holding her shovel as she straightened her back. She turned her face to the side and nodded once at her batchmates to greet them. Yuzu was standing beside her.

"Thank you for agreeing to join us, Aihara-san, and for inviting your friends over. Your family is lucky to have you as a successor." Natsuno politely bowed at Mei before turning to her side to give a final reminder to the young volunteers. "If you need any help, just approach me anytime." She stepped back and walked away.

Yuzu inched closer to her side and stared at the raven-haired and detected beads of sweat on her forehead. She took a handkerchief from her jeans pocket and looked around before quickly yet gently wiping off the sweat.

"What are you doing?" Mei squinted her eyes at Yuzu but the blonde's gesture actually tugged at her heartstrings.

"You looked uncomfortable and I made sure no one saw." Yuzu put on her mask before she started shoveling the mud in her place.

"Yuzu, about the other night," Mei said, hesitating to continue. With a long sigh, she proceeded, "Could we, perhaps, forget about it?"

Widening her eyes against the glare of the sun, Yuzu stopped what she was doing and slowly turned her face to the side. "We didn't do anything, Mei. We just talked and..." she said before she was interrupted.

"I'm sorry. It was never my intention to force myself on you."

Crinkling her eyes and smiling through her face mask, Yuzu let out a chuckle which made Mei arch a brow.

"Why do you seem amused?"

"Sorry, sorry, Mei. I just think you have no reason to feel bad about it. It's normal for couples to do those things, I guess."

Mei took her gloves off and used them to fan herself. It was extremely hot and the sun wasn't being kind to the volunteers or to anyone. She placed the shovel against a wooden chair that was covered in mud. "It's better if we don't do things that we will eventually regret."

Noticing the sweat on Mei's forehead, Yuzu immediately stretched her arm to hand her handkerchief. She scanned the area and spotted a water cooler from a short distance. "Take this, Mei, and I'll get us some water," she said before dashing away.

With a sigh, Mei wondered if Yuzu would take her request seriously. As she blew some air into her shirt, she felt her heartbeat and it wasn't slow.

"Mei Mei, are you okay?" Himeko cried out from an obvious distance which also caught the attention of Taro and Harumin who were busy clearing their respective areas. Her brows were creased as she struggled to hold the heavyweight shovel.

With a simple nod, Mei reassured the vice president that she was, indeed, okay.

"Aihara-san, thanks for giving us the chance to do volunteer work," Taro said, bending down to pick some trash from the ground. He then put them in his garbage bag.

Watching Taro on the ground, Harumin helped out and started to pull the tree branches that were covered in mud. "Prez, you and Yuzu make really good partners," she said, raising her voice just a little, enough for Mei to decipher even from a distance.

"Never have I thought about doing this but I actually agree with Taniguchi-san," Himeko exclaimed as she tried so hard to work with the shovel.

With a laughter, Harumin fixed her hat and turned her face over to Himeko's direction. "I'm glad that you do, Vice Prez."

"Hey, you guys!" Yuzu shouted as she stood beside the cooler. She was holding two bottles of cold water. "Would you like some, too?" she asked, shifting her gaze among Harumin, Taro, and Himeko as she pointed her hand at the bottles.

"Yes," they all replied simultaneously.

Mei watched as Yuzu joyfully grabbed two more bottles from the cooler. Maybe, Harumin and Himeko were right, she thought. Slowly turning around, she bent down to pick the foil from the ground without her gloves on. She let out an audible sigh of pain which alarmed her batchmates, especially Yuzu.

Without any hesitation, Yuzu ran as fast as lightning toward Mei. "Are you okay?" she said, inspecting the foil. It turned out, it was covering a sharp object. She took off her small string backpack and grabbed a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Reaching out for Mei's hand, she inspected the injured thumb. "It looks like a scratch. Thank goodness, it's not a cut," she said reassuringly as she gently squeezed Mei's thumb.

"That hurts a little," Mei said sternly in a low voice as she turned her face away.

Yuzu brought Mei's hand closer to her face, making a thorough inspection of the scratch. "So, this will hurt not just a little but... Just close your eyes, okay?" she said as she slowly pour some rubbing alcohol on the wound making the raven-haired squint her eyes closed and twitch from the sudden pain.

It would soon vanish, Mei reminded herself as she struggled to breathe.

The blonde blew some air into the injured part. It was cool and soothing. "Be careful, next time, Mei," Yuzu said as she tried to make an eye contact with her.

"That's enough. Thank you. Let's resume our work." Mei drew her hand back as she looked away to hide a tinge of blush on her cheeks.

* * *

After a long day of hard work and a rewarding dinner in the evening, the student volunteers were all ready to succumb to slumber. They stayed in the residential building owned by Mei's family. It had a modern hotel ambiance to it. Although the architectural design was different from Yuzu's place in Tokyo, it was beautiful.

"See you all tomorrow," Harumin said as she stepped out of the elevator. She stretched her whole body while covering her wide-mouth yawn. "Night, guys" were the last words Harumin uttered before mindlessly opening the door of her room that was nearest to the elevator. Taro's room was one floor above them and Himeko wanted to stay on the lower floor.

Mei and Yuzu were the only ones left walking in the hallway until the blonde reached her room. They stopped.

Yuzu's heart started to race as she struggled to look into Mei's eyes. "Good night." It took tons of courage for Yuzu to say those words. How foolish of her, she thought.

Mei nodded once and slowly turned around. She could not understand why her feet felt heavier than usual.

Throwing all her nervousness into the air, Yuzu reached for Mei's hand and grabbed it swiftly causing the raven-haired to turn around again until they were face to face.

"What are you doing?" Mei asked, keeping her voice stern while looking straight into Yuzu's eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Yuzu looked slightly down to lift Mei's right hand. "You see, your thumb is still hurting," Yuzu said before blowing air on it which made Mei look away.

"It will heal, eventually," Mei retorted casually as she looked out the window, hoping her cheeks would soon cool down.

With her other hand, Yuzu opened the door. "You're so stubborn, you know. Mei, would you like to come in?"

Hoping to convey her protest, Mei gave Yuzu a glare and a sigh of annoyance.

"We're not gonna do anything, Mei. We're just going to," Yuzu paused and raised both of her brows before responding, "talk."

Taking a deep breath, Mei stepped sideways and slowly pushed the door open. "Alright."

Yuzu almost leapt into the ceiling out of delight but she tried her hardest to remain composed. With firm steps, she followed Mei inside. The unit looked cozy and modern with fleetwood glass walls overlooking the city. The crystal drops chandelier in the dining area brightened the place.

Upon reaching the dining area, Mei pulled out a chair for herself while setting her phone on the table. She sighed at the sight of the beautiful night sky. It had always been that way whenever she paid a visit to Hiroshima, her great grandfather's hometown.

Softly and quietly, Yuzu walked over to Mei and planted a kiss on her cheek which pulled Mei out of her thoughts. "I know you won't like to do anything on this day but I got you something, Mei." Yuzu stretched her arms and presented two small gift boxes.

Unable to say a word, Mei just stared at Yuzu with a neutral expression on her face.

"You can only choose one box," Yuzu playfully said to cheer Mei up. "Each box has a hidden treasure, a unique present."

With a raised eyebrow, Mei crossed her arms. "What are you up to?"

"Please, just choose." Yuzu insisted, her voice started to become demanding.

Mei's glare could almost pierce a hole into Yuzu's pure soul. It was threatening and intimidating. Yuzu gulped and started to feel a little scared but she remained steadfast, she had a mission. More than a couple of minutes in, neither of them backed down until Mei softened her expression and gently grabbed Yuzu's face. With loving eyes, she looked at Yuzu before kissing her.

The blonde melted into that kiss. Her heart was thudding in elation. Her body was having its own life.

Softly breaking off the kiss, Mei stared at Yuzu before letting her go. "I don't know what you're trying to do, Yuzu, but that was enough."

"Alles Gute zum Geburtstag." Those words slipped out of Yuzu's lips smoothly which caused Mei to double her effort to hide any trace of amusement on her face. "I wanted to say 'happy birthday' in another language," Yuzu said, her face brimmed with joy.

Letting out an exhale, Mei slightly looked to her side and stared at the centerpiece crystal vase. Her heartbeat was almost audible. She hated her birthday but why was she especially happy in that moment?

"You're gonna love what each box contains, Mei." Yuzu bent her knees slightly while holding the two boxes on her palms.

"Yuzu."

"Yes?"

Softly, Mei placed her hands on Yuzu's cheeks and leaned closer. Their faces were so close that they could feel the warmth of each other's breath on their lips. Closing her eyes, Mei turned her face to the side and let out a deep sigh, torn between kissing Yuzu or teasing her.

Yuzu placed the boxes on the table before gently grabbing Mei's face to kiss her. In that moment, they melted into their own world as if nothing outside of them existed. As they moved toward the black elegant couch near the window, they kissed as if their lives depended on it.

They couldn't stop, their desires were taking over them. It was intense and uncontrollable. Yuzu caught some air as Mei trailed down her neck. The feeling was amazing yet scary. It was really going to happen, she thought.

They both wanted it. Yuzu had longed to kiss Mei, endlessly. That was all she could think about ever since they had been together. Mei wanted to simply be loved and Yuzu's warmth was her sanctuary. The raven-haired grabbed Yuzu's hand and led her to the bedroom.

As soon as they reached the room, Yuzu slowly stripped Mei off of her satin pajama dress by lifting it up to caress her stomach with kisses. Her scent was intoxicating and Mei's whimpers kept fueling the desire in Yuzu. What was happening, she thought. The things she was doing were embarrassing but she couldn't stop. Her heart raced wildly at the sight of her almost naked girlfriend. What was she going to do now?

Before Yuzu knew it, Mei had grabbed her and pushed her onto the bed and started to kiss her. Her heart almost jumped out of her chest when Mei unhooked her bra, giving Yuzu a full view of her body, of her femininity, which the blonde only daydreamed in secret. She wanted to lift her hands but a pang of fear crept up in her.

Mei grabbed Yuzu's hands and rested them on her breasts. The heat from Yuzu's hands made her moan a little. She trusted Yuzu not just with her body but with her heart and soul. The sensation was making her lose her mind but she wanted Yuzu to feel comfortable to do those things with her.

Yuzu sat and wrapped her arms around the raven-haired. "You're so beautiful," she whispered in Mei's ear. "And I really wanna make love to you." Her embrace was getting tighter.

Mei remained quiet, unsure how to respond to Yuzu. She wondered if she was being too aggressive.

"But it's my first time, Mei."

Mei pulled herself back and gently touched Yuzu's face. Her eye contact was enough to make Yuzu gasp in delight. "I'm not an expert on this either?" She said before kissing her on the lips.

"What are we supposed to do?" Yuzu whispered which made Mei flash her a tight-lipped smile.

Mei leaned in and whispered in her ear. "What do you want to do?"

A different level of heat rushed into Yuzu's neck then to her entire face. She wanted to kiss Mei not just on the lips but every inch of her but how could she tell her without coming across as a pervert?

Slipping her hand in Yuzu's blouse, Mei unhooked her bra. "As a consequence for not answering the question," Mei whispered.

Yuzu tightened her grip onto Mei's slender back. She had only about an ounce of self-control left in her. The sensation from Mei's touch was making her mindless.

"Yuzu, what do you want to do now."

"I can't," Yuzu said, gasping and pleading while glancing up at Mei. "I can't hold myself back anymore." Then she planted a kiss on Mei and it felt so good, so endearing. Without even realizing, she was leaning forward until Mei leaned back against the bed. From Mei's lips, Yuzu trailed down to her neck and eventually settled on her stomach. She caressed it with kisses and nibbles that made Mei almost lose her sanity.

"Yuzu," Mei moaned as she clutched onto he sheet tightly. She had never felt anything like that, comfortable in her own skin, in being vulnerable. As Yuzu settled her gaze at her to catch some air, Mei turned her over until she lay on top of Yuzu. It felt strange yet wonderful seeing Yuzu not get enough of her. She pinned Yuzu's hands against the bed before giving her a passionate kiss.

The overflowing emotions were filling up their senses. How could such a moment be so beautiful yet terrifying at the same time? What would happen after this? They buried those questions temporarily as they allowed themselves to be naked in body and soul.

As Yuzu arched her back and squeezed Mei's left hand, her self-control had vanished into thin air. She was reaching the climax of the moment. Nothing else existed but her love and desire for Mei. She clenched her left fist until her knuckle almost turned into bloodless white. The tension was leaving her body.

When Mei climbed up to kiss her, Yuzu gently grabbed her and rolled her over. There was no doubt in her eyes that she wanted to please Mei, to make her feel good, to help her... relinquish her control even just in that instant. She brushed her lips against her stomach. Immediately, Mei let out a whimper and she watched her press her legs together. She never imagined love-making would ever feel that good. The things she watched in movies could never compare to the feelings she was having in that moment.

Touches, kisses, and even whispers had never felt that sensual for Mei before she met Yuzu. Now, all she ever wanted was to be touched, to be kissed, to be needed only by Yuzu. She cried out whimpers of pleasure and clutched on the sheets tighter when Yuzu blew a kiss on her soft and delicate flesh. For the first time, letting go and losing control never felt that wonderful.

* * *

Following their first night of being intimate, Mei woke up at dawn. Everything was blurry until a ray of light softly hit her eyes, making her aware of the girl sleeping next to her. It happened and she didn't regret a thing. She reached out for her satin pajama dress that was almost hanging on the edge of the bed as she got up. As she put on her dress, she felt goosebumps all over from the low temperature from the AC. Yuzu barely had her blanket on so she went over and draped it over her shoulders.

Silently, she walked outside the bedroom to look for her phone. It was on the dining table. Then from nowhere came the urge to search for her mother's message. With a long exhale, she tapped it open.

From: +810903xxxxxxx

I'm sorry if I haven't been the ideal mother and for hurting you. You must hate me from your deepest core and I understand. I will not force you to love me, just forgive me. Mei, we may not have the ideal mother-daughter relationship but you will always be a part of my heart and no one can ever change that. When you fall in love someday, I will not judge you, I will even throw a party for you, if you allow me to. But that will never happen. Remember this, I love you and I wish nothing but the best for you.

After reading the message, Mei tried her best to conceal her feelings but the harder she held her emotions back, more tears streamed down her face. Her mind told her to be hard toward her mother but her heart had a hard time succumbing to it.

With another exhale, she tapped the 'call' button.

"Mei, you called," the person on the other line said. Her voice was cracking up. "Mei."

As much as Mei wanted to stay calm, unaffected, the pressure on her chest and on her throat manifested into tears. It felt surreal as if she was dreaming.

"You called. At this time?" Her mother was stammering and shedding tears on the other line. "Thank you."

The raven-haired struggled to hide her feelings.

* * *

A/N

Hi, everyone,

I hope you had enjoyed reading this chapter. Apologies for the delay but I have a good reason, it's my birthday.

Thanks for reading. It's one of the best gifts ever.

Hope you have a wonderful time today.


	16. Chapter 16 - Puppy Love

Chapter 16 - Puppy Love

* * *

With another exhale, she tapped the 'call' button.

"Mei, you called," the person on the other line said. Her voice was cracking up. "Mei."

As much as Mei wanted to stay calm, unaffected, the pressure on her chest and on her throat manifested into tears. It felt surreal as if she was dreaming.

"You called. At this time?" Her mother was stammering and shedding tears on the other line. "Thank you."

The raven-haired struggled to hide her feelings.

"Mei, I love you."

"Stop saying that! Why did…" Mei's emotions were starting to choke on her words. She held one hand over her chest as she struggled to breathe normally.

"Your father is a good man but we married not for love and you know that."

Mei was gasping for air even though she made every effort to calm herself down.

"Mei, say what you want. I know you really hate me!"

Mei bent her knees for support as she panted. Like a boomerang, her suppressed and repressed emotions resurfaced swiftly. In that instant, she wept, uncontrollably. Where were those emotions coming from?

"Please, just let them all out, Mei. I can take them!"

"I hate you!" Mei's voice reverberated in the room.

Hearing those words from her daughter, Mei's mother felt she deserved them. As tempting as it was to plead, to ask for forgiveness, it wasn't the right time.

"I think, calling you was a wrong idea." Mei closed her eyes and felt a sense of calmness as those words slipped out of her lips.

"I understand, Mei."

"On your wedding, I'll bring someone with me."

All of a sudden there was a change in mood. Was she hearing her daughter's words correctly or was she dreaming?

"We are in Hiroshima, right now, and I'm here to represent the Aihara Group."

"Yes, you're doing a great job, baby…" Her mother paused, gulping upon realizing the last word she said. "I mean, Mei."

Mei immediately wiped her tears all at once when she heard some noise from the bedroom. Yuzu could not see her in that condition, she mentally reminded herself.

"Mei?"

Then the voice Mei expected to hear finally emerged. "Thank you for accepting my call. I'll be hanging up now."

"No. Thank you, Mei. Take care of yourself for me, okay? Her mother's voice was so gentle, different from how Mei remembered it.

Mei jolted when she felt a warm touch on her arm. Turning her face to the back, she squinted at the blonde.

Unfazed, Yuzu smoothly wrapped her arms around Mei's waist while gently resting her head on her right shoulder.

"Yes" was the last word Mei had said before hanging up as she tried unclasping Yuzu's hands on her.

Yuzu took the chance to relish that moment. She inhaled the fragrance on Mei's soft skin and almost instantly, she started to lose herself again. Yuzu brushed her lips behind Mei's ear which caused the raven-haired to whimper slightly.

"Stop doing that, Yuzu!" Mei commanded. Her voice was stern and had a tone of seriousness.

As Yuzu drew her head back, she slowly and gracefully turned Mei around until they were now face-to-face. Looking into her lavender eyes, Yuzu was mesmerized on how the color contrasted perfectly with her jet black hair and pale complexion. "You're beautiful," she said almost in a trance, unable to contain her admiration.

"You must learn how to behave, Yuzu," Mei said, resting her hands on Yuzu's shoulders.

Nodding in agreement, Yuzu grabbed Mei's hand and squeezed them tightly which made the raven-haired twitch in pain. "Oh, so sorry, Mei," she said as she loosened her grip. "You just look happy."

"I think," Mei said, pausing and taking in the warmth from Yuzu's touch. "I'll be attending my mother's wedding."

Before responding to Mei's statement, Yuzu let out a long sigh of delight, making her resemble a middle schooler who had just been confessed to by their crush.

"Yuzu, you are overreacting."

"It's just that…" Yuzu paused and shut her eyes closed, gripping on to Mei's hand tighter. "I'm so, so happy for you."

A little embarrassed, Mei looked to her side and gently stroke her right arm.

Noticing how her girlfriend reacted, Yuzu felt guilty and immediately let go of her hands. "Sorry for being tactless," Yuzu said as she slowly walked over to the couch to get her phone. Then she started to play a song on her playlist. It was dreamy and slow, perfect for an intimate dance.

"You have an odd taste in music," Mei said almost teasingly.

With a long sigh, Yuzu slowly walked toward her girlfriend. She flicked her palm open and made an eye contact with Mei. "I may have an odd taste but may I please have this dance with you?"

Looking all serious and unamused, Mei playfully smacked Yuzu's open hand. "No."

"Why not?" Yuzu placed both of her hands on Mei's shoulders, trying very hard not to shove her delicate girlfriend.

With a glower, Mei stepped back and loosened her shoulders from Yuzu's grip. "I don't think there's a need to do that right now." She gently grabbed Yuzu's chin and leaned in for a quick and soft kiss. "Besides, we can do that on my mother's wedding."

Yuzu pulled her closer for a sweet and gentle embrace. "You never fail to impress me, Mei," she whispered.

* * *

Days after their volunteer work, their lives returned to normal in Tokyo, except for the fact that Mei and Yuzu's relationship had gotten deeper. But as expected of a Student Council President, Mei had set some rules, some boundaries, to Yuzu's disappointment: no hand-holding, no kissing, no touching, or even a show of affection especially in public.

"Oh my gosh! Not even a kiss on the cheek?"

"Yes."

"No one is even around, Mei." Yuzu stretched out her arm and moved it around along with her entire body to highlight her point. True enough, there wasn't any other student around. They were in one of the hidden places in school.

"I don't expect us to be like those other couples," Mei sternly said.

"Those other couples?"

"Those who unabashedly show their affection even in a public place. That's unacceptable, Yuzu."

"What if they just love each other very much?"

Mei let out a long sigh, straightened the back of her skirt and sat in the bench, wondering if talking to Yuzu about the rules was a good idea or not.

"Okay, I'll follow the rules if…" Yuzu paused and walked toward Mei. She noticed Mei's expression was slowly turning into a glare so she simply sat down and took a deep breath. "If you let me kiss you, one last time, I'll follow and obey the rules, Mei."

"No." Mei turned to her side so she could see Yuzu on an eye level. Her piercing gaze was enough to send shivers down Yuzu's spine. "And that's final."

With a very long exhale, Yuzu hunched her shoulders. Defeat had never tasted that awful.

"Aihara-san."

A familiar masculine voice emerged somewhere behind them. They both turned their faces to the back and settled their gazes toward Taro who was hurriedly and nervously walking over to them.

 _What does Taro want now?_

Upon reaching them, Taro politely bowed at Mei who was hiding her confusion behind her neutral expression.

"It's alright, Ryusuke-san. There's no need to be too formal."

Taro slowly straightened his back and took a really long and deep breath. However, his anxiety only intensified when he made an eye contact with Mei. "Aihara Mei," he said, mentally scolding himself to stop moving from side to side.

Mei nodded once as she kept an eye contact with Taro. Then she cast a quick glance at Yuzu from the corner of her eye. She noticed that the blonde looked as confused as she was.

"This is it, Taro. You can do it," Taro mumbled, giving himself a mental pep talk like he would usually do right before the start of a game.

"Hey Taro, why do you look so nervous? Did something happen?" Yuzu interjected, her brows were creased and she she even leaned forward.

"No nothing happened, Yuzu. I just have to get something off my chest," Taro said before taking a double deep breath again.

"We're here to listen to your concern, Ryusuke-san." Mei put on her presidential persona, trying to ease Taro's nervousness.

"Aihara Mei, I just couldn't take you off my mind from the day I set my eyes on you." Taro bent his head down after speaking those words.

Yuzu was taken aback as soon as she figured out what was happening. She turned her face to her side and noted how unperturbed Mei looked, it was as if she was used to handling these types of things.

"I tried very hard to suppress my feelings but the more I buried them inside, the stronger they were getting." Taro clenched his fist.

Leaning back, Mei slightly turned her face to look at Yuzu. The blonde was as nervous as Taro.

"I really like you, Aihara Mei, and I could no longer deny it or hide it. I know you're dating someone. Yuzu told me. I just want to get that confirmation straight from you."

Mei glanced up at Taro who was looking at her with expectant eyes. Yes, she was used to people confessing to her. God knows the number of times she was confessed to. But this one was different, Taro was starting to grow on her as a friend and Yuzu was sitting beside her. Normally she would just apologize and excuse herself politely but something was holding her back.

"Aihara Mei, will you go out with me if you're really not dating anyone else?" Taro gave Mei another bow while stretching both of his arms, presenting Mei a gift box.

"Ryusuke-san, I…" Mei said, pausing, hesitant to continue. It was tough for her to turn him down. In the past, she could do it without a tinge of guilt or even an ounce of emotion. She looked to her side to get some courage. It was strange how Yuzu looked all calm this time and was even smiling at her.

"Don't worry, Aihara-san. I'm ready to accept anything. Just turn me down properly or let me know if I have a chance. Please, do what is necessary." Taro kept himself bowed down as he spoke those words.

"You can stop bowing now, Ryusuke-san."

With Mei's request, Taro slowly straightened his back before making an eye contact with her. It was his first time to notice a slight trace of vulnerability on Mei even though she tried to keep a calm demeanor.

"It's not a secret that I started to develop a feeling of fondness towards you. You lent a hand during our exhibit and I am grateful for that. You came to Hiroshima to do some volunteer work with us and I appreciate that as well."

"But?" Taro interjected.

"You are a good man and anyone would be very lucky to go out with you, Ryusuke-san."

"Thanks, Aihara-san. It looks like I know where this is going but I'm ready to accept anything."

Mei reached out for Yuzu's hand which startled the blonde. "But Yuzu is right. I'm already going out with someone."

Taro playfully smacked his forehead and looked defeated. "Is the person you're going out with from this school?"

Mei made an intense eye contact with Yuzu whose hand was slightly shaking. "Kiss me," she whispered.

Yuzu replied with wide eyes and creased brows.

"What's going on?" Taro said, looking all confused.

"The person I'm going out with is Okogi Yuzuko." Mei squinted her eyes at Yuzu, her expression was almost threatening. "Kiss me. Now."

Clasping the back of his head with both hands, Taro stepped back, unable to take in what Mei had just revealed. How could he be so naive? He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Hey Taro, are you okay?" Yuzu got up the bench and slowly walked over to Taro but before she could approach him, the soccer team captain made a gesture for her not get any closer to him.

"I just couldn't believe it." He put his one hand on his forehead and massaged his temples. "Yuzu, I trusted you. Why did you have to keep it a secret from me?"

"So sorry, Taro. I just didn't know where to begin or how to explain."

"When you said Aihara Mei started to date someone, I thought it was with a guy or someone I didn't know."

"I'm very sorry." Yuzu bent her head down and looked to the side. How could she possibly tell anyone without causing a fuss or creating drama? She gulped at the idea of even letting Harumin know about her relationship with Mei now that she was witnessing Taro's reaction.

"Listen, Yuzu. I took a chance because I thought my rival was someone I knew nothing about."

Yuzu slowly lifted her head to glance up at Taro.

"I'm upset not because you're both girls but because you're my friend and I feel guilty going up against you." Taro held Yuzu's shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "Do you understand?"

Like a sudden rain in a hot day, Yuzu shed tears. It was as if a ton of pressure vanished into thin air. She was slowly feeling lighter but still unable to say a word. Then she felt someone squeeze her hand.

"Ryusuke Taro," Mei said as she held Yuzu's hand tighter. "Yuzu and I both appreciate your friendship." She turned her face to Yuzu and gently wiped away some tears.

Taro bowed as if his body had gotten used to it every time he would interact with Mei up close.

"You're free to do what you want, Ryusuke-san. As humans we have our own free will. I would not ask you to keep our relationship a secret as it may be too burdensome for you."

With a swift move, Taro exclaimed, proudly,"Yes!" He shifted his gaze between the two gorgeous girls in front of him. "Aihara Mei, Okogi Yuzu, expect me to protect your relationship until my last breath."

In the silence of the afternoon, Yuzu burst out laughing. The entire area was instantly filled with her captivating laughter, breaking the serious mood they were having with Taro. But Mei remained unamused and a little irritated.

Taro playfully smacked Yuzu's forehead. "Stop laughing," he said in his demanding voice.

"Sorry, sorry." Yuzu rubbed her left eye with the palm of her hand. Her voice was still shaky. "I just feel so relieved."

Slowly, Mei reached out for Yuzu's face and brought it closer to hers making the blonde's nervousness level soar higher. Then with a kiss on the lips, Mei closed their distance, making everything else around them fade away. As the gentle breeze played with their hair, Yuzu rested her hands just under Mei's ears.

"I'm sorry for looking," Taro quickly turned around. Although the color of embarrassment painted his face, he felt something so pure in that moment. He let out a sigh of relief.

With a soft gaze, Mei gently broke off the kiss. "I was serious when I told you to kiss me," she said in a low whisper as she watched the corner of Yuzu's lips curved into a smile.

"I better get going now," Taro slowly stepped forward, scratching the back of his head.

"Wait," Yuzu and Mei said at once which made Taro stop in his tracks.

Both of the girls bowed at him.

"Thank you so much for being a good friend, Taro." Yuzu's voice was soft and genuine.

"Thank you, Ryusuke-san."

"Please stop bowing. No need to be too formal like you said."

"Yuzucchi!"

The three of them looked toward the person who cried out Yuzu's name. Her voice was still echoing in the field.

"What a nice surprise, you're all here except for Vice Prez. Do we have another volunteer work to do?" Harumin said as she brazenly ran toward them.

"President!" Another familiar voice emerged from a short distance.

"Looks like the gang's all here," Harumin playfully said as she reached Mei, Yuzu and Taro.

Himeko was walking at a fast rate over to them. Her face had a mix of worry and excitement. "President, Suzuki Rike is waiting for you at the office," Himeko said with a slight gasp.

"Thank you, Himeko. Did she mention what this is in reference to?"

"I suppose it's related to the competition."

Harumin shook her head before making an eye contact with Himeko. "Does she look upset, Vice Prez?"

"Upset?" Himeko raised a brow. "She doesn't seem upset. She looks serious though."

"I see," Mei said, casting a glance at Yuzu. "Would you mind accompanying me, Yuzu?"

Like an overly excited child, Yuzu leapt into the air. "Of course! We're partners after all."

"Okogi Yuzu, control yourself!" Himeko scolded.

"Loosen up, Vice Prez!" Harumin came to Yuzu's rescue.

"Taking Taniguchi-san's advice would be useful, once in a while, Himeko."

Harumin threw her fist in the air, openly displaying her victory over Himeko. With Mei's lead, they all walked together to the Student Council Office.

* * *

Being a successor of the Aihara Group, Mei was exposed to the business world early on. Growing up, her father would bring her to his negotiations and from those experiences, she had learned techniques to win over the other party. One important business lesson her father imparted was the concept of gently breaking through the opponent's pride.

"Good afternoon, Rike-san." Mei bowed before the woman.

"Aihara-san, I came here to personally apologize on how I behaved during your presentation."

"There isn't a need to, Rike-san. I believe you were simply performing your duty as a judge."

Getting up from one of the chairs in the round table, Suzuki slowly approached Mei. "You really inherited that part from your father," she said, referring to Mei's politeness.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"What are you planning to do with the prizes?" Suzuki stood proudly in front of Yuzu and Mei.

"Prizes?" Mei said, slightly raising an eyebrow as she glanced up at the taller woman.

"It's also unusual for any Aihara to lose in almost anything," Suzuki said, turning around as she flicked both of her hands open, emphasizing her point.

Yuzu leaned in to whisper. "Mei, what does she mean? Did we lose or win?"

"Okogi-san, I could still hear your voice." Suzuki made another dramatic turn to face the girls.

Yuzu blinked multiple times and cleared her throat before making an eye contact with Suzuki.

"I'm assuming that we won the competition?" Mei said casually.

Suzuki took a deep breath and placed her hands on the hips. She looked at Mei and Yuzu in a way that was prolonging suspense. "According to my fellow judges, Okogi-san delivered an impressive presentation. You have the right motives behind your idea," Suzuki said as she cleared her throat and averted her gaze. Then she opened a book and took out a sheet of paper. "Jacques Ishihara is a self-made millionaire. We sent him a video of the presentation and he immediately responded." Suzuki prepared herself to read the note.

'I was moved by Okogi Yuzuko's sincerity. For her age, she has a good head on her shoulders. The future looks bright for her and her project partner, Aihara-san. As someone who has built an empire to help others, it would be a great pleasure to invest in their business. Thus, I am inviting them for my annual party for promising young entrepreneurs in Paris, France.'

Suzuki looked at Mei and Yuzu with a smile on her face after reading the note. Congratulations, Okogi-san, Aihara-san."

Yuzu stayed silent, trying to make sense of everything. Was she dreaming? Her eyes started to well up. Then she wept which caught Suzuki off guard. "I'm sorry, I'm just so happy. I never won anything in my life and Paris?" She gasped.

"We'll notify both of your parents about the event."

"Paris is just on my travel wishlist and we're going there," Yuzu said, unable to control her sniffles.

Seeing Yuzu cry, Mei wanted to wipe away her tears but she restrained herself and clenched her fist, instead. "Paris is a beautiful place and I would be a fool to decline Ishihara-san's invitation. However, as a student council president, I have my responsibilities."

"It's a good thing you mentioned that, Mei-chan…" Suzuki casually said. Being Mei's mother's closest friend, she had a glimpse of Mei's childhood. She remembered joyfully playing with the shy little Mei back in the day. "I meant, Aihara-san. We already informed the school committee about this and they're nothing but excited for you to go on this trip. It's good for the school, for business, and for the both of you."

"It seems I'm left with no other choice but to participate in this event."

"Would you excuse us for a minute, Okogi-san?" Suzuki slowly walked away from them and made a gesture for Mei to follow her. When she reached the bookshelf, she stopped and waited for the raven-haired.

"Is there anything that you would like to tell me in private, Rike-san?" Mei said, tilting her head as she stood behind her mother's friend. Then she heard sobbing noises coming from her.

Suzuki breathed in deeply and tried to suppress her sobs. She turned around and wrapped her arms around Mei. "Do you know how much your mother loves you? You mean the world to her, Mei-chan." She whispered, softly stroking the length of Mei's hair. "I remember fondly how happy you were when she carried you around when you two used to visit me. She loves you more than anything in this world."

"Oba-san," Mei slowly said.

"Yes?"

"Tell me something about the man my mother is marrying."

"They were high school sweethearts."

"I saw them kiss in Okinawa on my tenth birthday."

"She told me and she regretted it."

Old emotions came swirling like wild waves and Mei could no longer control them. "But why?"

"You see, back in the old days, arranged marriages were common. She was betrothed to your father. Their family was having financial issues with their businesses and the Aihara patriarch promised to help."

"I knew about it. I'm not sure why it's so hard to accept that fact." Mei rested her head on Suzuki's shoulder.

"You've become more mature and even better than us when we were your age." Suzuki slowly unwrapped her arms. "We're not perfect, Mei-chan. We make decisions based on what's best for us, for our families, or for any noble reasons. Sometimes, when things don't go as planned, we inadvertently hurt the ones the we love."

"I see."

"For your mother, it was her betraying her heart and so she suffered. If there's one thing I learned from her mistake," Suzuki grabbed Mei's hand and placed it over her chest, "it's never to ignore the beating of your own heart."

Pulling her hand back, Mei looked away and settled her gaze at the blonde who was sitting peacefully near the entrance.

"So, you do like her, Aihara Mei?" Suzuki asked as she noticed the soft glow on Mei's eyes when she looked at Yuzu.

All of a sudden, tears streamed down Mei's face which even surprised her. " I don't know. I'm happy when she's around and I never felt this way before."

"Love between two women is not unusual anymore," Suzuki said, wiping away Mei's tears. "You're lucky for finding true love at such a young age."

"But," Mei responded, holding in her gasps.

"But? You remind me so much of your mother when she realized how in love she was with Takashi-san when we were in high school."

"What happened?"

"Well, Takashi's family was not as well off as the Aihara's."

Mei looked to her side and stared at the painting that had an image of a mother holding her child.

"Mei-chan, you're old enough to understand these things."

Slightly crossing her arm, Mei bent her head down. There she was, standing in front of her mother's closest friend, being reminded on how confusing love could be for people like her. "I suppose."

"From the way I see it, you've inherited a lot of qualities from your father, your intellect, your business instinct, your politeness. But when it comes to love..."

Glancing up at the taller woman, Mei's attention was caught by Suzuki. She was ready to hear what she had to say.

"You're as stubborn as your mother, I believe. And it's a good thing." Suzuki then let out a sigh of annoyance and looked to her side. "Just don't tell your mother we've had this kind of talk. I promised not to say anything about this." She then proceeded to walk a step forward. "Me and my big mouth!"

"Thank you, Oba-san," Mei said as she slightly turned her face to the side, just enough to cast a glance at Yuzu.

"Of course, I will be attending the annual event in France as well so I'll be looking after you and her," Suzuki said as she turned her face to the side, looking at the girl who captured her friend's daughter's heart.

* * *

It was one of those early morning announcements at the start of the school week that Yuzu would rather skip than attend to. She was standing fifth in line with the rest of her classmates as they waited for the student council representative or a teacher to make any important announcement.

"Harumin, do you think we can skip this part?" Yuzu nonchalantly said as she stretched her body while covering her mouth.

"You look tired, Yuzucchi. You didn't get enough sleep last night, did you?"

"Yeah. I came back home very late."

"What did you do?"

Yuzu absentmindedly looked toward the bright blue sky while flicking her thumb on her chin as her mind drifted into the events of the previous day...

* * *

"This should be it," Yuzu said to herself, stopping in front of a shop. She lifted her head quickly to read the sign and checked the information on her phone. "This wasn't so hard to find."

Dusting the side of her off-the-shoulder grey top, Yuzu scanned the exterior design of the shop with a smile on her face, delighted at what she was seeing.

 _This pet shop looks really cute._

After taking a couple of selfies, Yuzu almost leapt in her place as the door opened. It was especially quiet in the area, at that time. No cars would ever survive passing through the narrow street. The best mode of transportation was a bike or a scooter. So, the sound of a creaking door would reverberate throughout the neighborhood.

Her eyes followed the couple who just made their way out.

"What do you want to call her?" a girl asked as she glanced up at the guy beside her before stealing a kiss while cradling a puppy in her arms.

Yuzu clasped her hands together over her chest as she watched the couple's show of affection.

"Natsumi-chan. A blessing in summer," the guy said as he playfully snuggled his fingers with the puppy's paws.

Staring fixedly at the couple, Yuzu let out a sigh when she saw the girl reaching for another kiss. She unabashedly watched them until the girl broke off the kiss which made Yuzu turn her face away.

"Are you here to get your puppy?" the girl said, looking at Yuzu's direction. She noted how flustered Yuzu looked so she slowly moved toward her. "Meet Natsumi-chan, our baby. They still have two more Shiba Inu puppies in there." The girl stretched her folded arms a little toward Yuzu.

"Hello, Natsumi-chan." Yuzu gently pet the puppy with the tip of her fingers. "You're a very lucky puppy."

"The shop closes in thirty minutes," the girl said.

"Ah, yeah. Thanks, guys." Yuzu politely excused herself and walked toward the front door.

"Hey, we didn't get your name." The guy yelled out while lifting a cardholder from his pocket. He dashed over to Yuzu. "My girlfriend and I run a small business. I develop websites and she designs it." He stretched both of his arms to hand Yuzu the business card and earnestly bowed.

Yuzu carefully took the card from the other person and read the information. "Kimura Web Development Services," she said, reading the company's name out loud. Your name is Daisuke Kimura, I see. Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, we're kind of new so I'd appreciate if you have referrals or if you want a website for something. You will love it. My girlfriend is a great web designer." He turned his face to the back and nodded at his girlfriend.

"My name's Okogi Yuzuko but you can call me Yuzu."

"Oh, Yuzu. Glad to meet you," Daisuke said as he hastened his steps toward his girlfriend. "We have a train to catch. You take care."

"Bye, Yuzu!" the girl said, smiling and waving her hand at Yuzu before turning around and leaving her behind.

"Yuzuko!" A guy in a red shirt exclaimed upon seeing Yuzu enter the shop. He was cuddling a Shiba Inu puppy. "How's Oba-san doing?"

"Mama's fine, Kenta-onii," Yuzu said as she walked toward her cousin.

"Grandma was a little sad that you didn't join us in Kyoto during the Obon week," Kenta said, stretching his arms toward Yuzu as he presented her the puppy.

"Sorry if we didn't go back to our hometown. Mama had a lot of tasks at work and I also had to work for our project." Yuzu gently took the puppy in her arm. A tear escaped her eye as she cuddled the little fur of happiness. "He's so cute, Onii."

"He's all yours now. What will you name him?"

"Don't know, Onii. But this is not for me. It's for someone special."

* * *

Another school day had passed and by the time Yuzu reached home, artificial lights illuminated their streets. She hastened her pace down the path toward their residential building.

Some of the establishment's staff members gathered in the lobby, bowing at a very important person, and Yuzu silently and slowly walked over to them. The lobby was particularly huge and there were several pieces of paintings on the wall and a glass sculpture in the center.

As soon as Yuzu darted her gaze toward that important person, a familiar feeling of love and delight warmed her cheeks in a shade of pink.

 _What is she doing here?_

It was rather strange seeing that person in the early hours of the evening especially without informing Yuzu ahead of time. Yuzu walked even closer and raised her hand, hoping to get the person's attention. She took a deep breath when that person's gaze met hers.

"Mei," Yuzu said, waving her hand in the air. She forced herself to the front.

"Thank you for the warm welcome and for all your hard work," Mei said, bowing at the crowd in front of her that was blocking Yuzu. She quickly cast a glance at the blonde before politely excusing herself from the staff. Her heart raced a little faster upon noticing Yuzu's warm and loving face.

"I didn't expect you to visit me at this hour, Mei," Yuzu said, softly grabbing Mei's wrist. Then she embraced her in a tight hug leaving the raven-haired suddenly surprised.

"Yuzu, please let go,' Mei softly whispered in Yuzu's ear. "I'm unable to breathe properly when you're holding me this way."

With a giggle, Yuzu gently unwrapped her arms and rested her hands on Mei's shoulders. "I'm very sorry. I'm just so happy to see you here, Mei." The light from the chandelier suddenly reflected on Mei's lavender eyes making Yuzu gasp for air. Then her heart started to beat faster, making her unable to keep an eye contact with her girlfriend.

"It's getting late, Yuzu. I think, it's time to go home." Mei made her way slowly toward the elevator as she spoke those words.

 _Go home? My place? What does she mean?_

Mei stopped in her tracks and turned her face toward Yuzu. "What seems to be the problem?"

Immediately, Yuzu scurried down the path toward the elevator where Mei was standing almost impatiently. "I just can't believe that you're visiting me tonight," Yuzu said with the usual joy brimming in her face.

"Did I ever mention I was visiting you?"

Yuzu scratched the back of her head while feigning a giggle. "I'm your girlfriend I'm the only one who lives here whom you know of." She smiled against her nervousness while she gave her reason.

"You're flattering yourself too much, aren't you?" Mei retorted casually as she turned around to continue walking.

"What do you mean, Mei?" Yuzu walked and stretched the length of her right arm, in the hope to catch Mei but to no avail. "I'm happy that you're visiting me. Is there anyone else whom you're visiting here?"

"I live here now," Mei nonchalantly said as she entered the elevator. It was a good thing she wasn't facing Yuzu, otherwise, her smirk would have contradicted the image she was trying to project.

"You're kidding, right?" Yuzu hurriedly made her way in the elevator. Her book bag was almost falling on the floor. She lifted it back before pressing the number "23" button.

"Twenty second floor, please," Mei said, keeping a neutral facial expression and acting normally. "Excuse me. I'll do it myself."

Yuzu's hand swiftly blocked Mei from getting near the elevator buttons. "Mei, when you said that you live here now. Are you serious?"

"It's a pity that I don't have a sense of humor."

Growing a little frustrated, Yuzu placed her hands on Mei's shoulders and gently shoved her. "Mei, just say it directly." Her voice almost raised. At the back of her mind, she was thankful that they were the only ones in the elevator.

"Well, then," Mei said as she teasingly looked into Yuzu's eyes. "My family owns this building."

"I know that."

"What do you need to know more of, then?"

Yuzu leaned in and bravely kissed Mei, leaving the latter a little shocked. "That's the consequence for lying, Mei," Yuzu said after gently breaking off the kiss.

"Are we still playing this silly game?" Mei's stern voice contradicted the fast beating of her heart.

"Well, I don't find it silly at all. You came up with that idea and I thought you were a genius because of that." Yuzu sighed and drew her hands back. "Why did you all of a sudden decide to live here?" Her voice was now soft and she was stepping back.

With a long exhale, Mei quickly scanned the elevator before making an eye contact with Yuzu. "It is practical for me to live here because the travel time to school is shorter and there are various establishments surrounding this place."

"And?" Yuzu's eyes were glowing as she was gazing at Mei.

"That would be all. What other reasons were you expecting, Yuzu?"

"Your family also has a residential building near our school and it's surrounded by lots of wonderful restaurants."

"The facilities are new in this building and from my unit, the view is breathtaking." Mei argued.

"Is that all?" Yuzu's frustration started to show on her face.

"Those are the only reasons, Yuzu."

"Oh, come on, Mei. You can't be that se…" were the only words Yuzu uttered before she was pulled in for a kiss.

The kiss wasn't innocent at all. It was teasing, passionate, and demanding. Neither of them felt the need to pull away. Yuzu started to lose herself. Why would it only take a kiss for her senses to be completely seduced, she wondered.

"Yuzu," Mei whispered slowly.

Never had Yuzu felt her name sound so delightful that her heart fluttered at Mei's voice. She smiled before leaning in for another kiss.

"That's enough for now, Yuzu." Mei softly placed her finger on Yuzu's lips.

 _What a tease!_

Yuzu took a deep breath as she painfully leaned back. She struggled. Her whole body was completely and unconsciously trying to do the opposite. Her half-lidded eyes gazed admiringly at the raven-haired beauty.

"We're on the the twenty third floor now." Mei shook her head as she stepped back.

"So sorry, Mei." Yuzu giggled anxiously. "I forgot to press your floor number earlier."

Mei responded with a sigh as the elevator door opened. She then looked into Yuzu's eyes and noted how nervous the blonde was. "It's alright," Mei said, waiting for Yuzu to make her exit.

"What's your unit number, Mei?" Yuzu impulsively stretched her arm out to prevent the elevator from closing.

"227. But I will not have any extra time for a guest tonight."

With a chuckle, Yuzu stroke the side of her neck. "Geez! I get it. You won't have time for me."

 _Such a walking contradiction but a beautiful one._

"It's okay if you would like to pay a short visit." Mei clenched her fist upon noticing her urge to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She let out a short sigh and placed her arms behind her.

"Right, Mei. I'll see you then." Yuzu confidently waved her hand in the air as she walked out of the elevator. Her face was brimming with infinite delight.

* * *

"I'm home." Yuzu shouted at the top of her lungs as she ran toward the elevated step to quickly remove her shoes. As soon as she had the chance to stand, she heard a puppy barking from the living room. It was music to her ear.

"Welcome back, Yuzu." Ume cried out from the dining area. "Look how excited Kaoru-chan is to see you." She chortled at the sight of the puppy running toward Yuzu.

"Hey Kaoru-chan." Yuzu excitedly carried the puppy and cradled it in her arms. "You smell so good! Like my shampoo."

Ume burst out laughing. "Who knew Kaoru loves some warm bath."

"What happened, Mama? Why did you give him a bath?"

As the oven timer went off, the loud sound made Ume hurry her way to the kitchen. Her hands were securely covered in baking gloves. Their home was instantly filled with the scent of orange as soon as she opened the oven.

"Mama, what are you baking? It smells really good."

"Yeah. It's orange cake. So I was looking for one of the boxes of flour all over the place, then I found Kaoru playing with it under the table. He looked like a snowball covered in flour."

"You're so sneaky, Kaoru-chan," Yuzu gushed, snuggling with the cute puppy. "Thanks for looking after him, Mama."

"Will Mei-chan be okay taking care of Kaoru?" Ume carefully placed the cake on the plate. Contented with her creation, she let out a sigh of delight."

Yuzu shrugged her shoulders in response and slowly moved toward Ume. "Can I have a slice, Mama? I'm gonna give it to Mei. She just moved in this building today."

"Really? Let's make this little guy as presentable as possible," Ume pulled out a stylish black bow tie and proudly presented it to Yuzu. "I saw this in a pet shop today and I couldn't help myself." She then proceeded to attach it to Kaoru's collar.

Yuzu stood still for a moment, relishing how handsome Kaoru looked with the bow tie.

"See, a cute dog for a beautiful girl." Ume straightened the bow tie while making sure it was attached properly.

While looking at Kaoru, Yuzu's urge to hug him tightly grew but she tried her very best to suppress it. What would happen if she squeezed the puppy? She cradled him instead.

"Here's a slice of my freshly baked orange cake." With a beaming smile, Ume carefully wrapped the portion in wax paper. Then she placed it in a white paper bag. "Here you go, Yuzu."

"Thanks Mama. Oh, I forgot something in my room. I'll be back in a second."

With Kaoru in her arm, Yuzu hastened her steps toward her bedroom. Looking around she found the customized dog tag atop her dresser. She grabbed it and read the engraved words to herself. "I'm all yours. Please take care of me." She turned it around and sighed, noticing that it had no name on it yet.

In every corner, she looked for a permanent marker to fill in the blank space but to no avail.

She lifted Kaoru and looked at him at eye level. "You're a handsome puppy. You will make your new mama very happy." Then she brought him closer for a hug. As she opened her eyes, she detected the cover of a marker under a magazine on her desk. She hurriedly lifted it and jumped for joy.

Without a single blink, she started writing on the tag. "With love, Kaoru."

* * *

As the night deepened, the light from the stars was filling in the living room of Mei's new home. The rays flawlessly danced with the vase in the centerpiece table. It was captivating. Mei reassured herself that moving out from their family mansion was a good decision.

One thing bothered her as she pondered. How could she survive living alone when she always had help growing up? She took a deep breath and released that stressful thought for a moment.

As soon as the thought of student council work entered her mind, she proceeded to get a folder from her book bag that was on the dining chair.

A few steps toward her bag, the doorbell rang and she stopped. Her heart suddenly raced and she felt a little rush of panic. No, she couldn't let anyone see her that way. She took a deep breath before walking over to the door.

Without looking into the camera, Mei opened the door and was grateful that her heart was already beating normally. Her eyes widened when a Shiba Inu puppy walked into her apartment. It couldn't be real, she told herself. Why would anyone play a prank on her?

The puppy was jumping and eager to be carried by Mei. Because of this, memories of her dog flashed before her eyes and she started to cry unwillingly. She bent down to pet the puppy and slowly lifted him. As soon as she locked her eyes on him, she knew she was in love.

"I'm all yours. Please take care of me." Mei mentally read the tag and swung the door open. The blonde greeted her with a wide smile but she couldn't stop crying. She slammed the door leaving Yuzu all anxious and confused.

 _What is happening to Mei?_

Frozen, Yuzu had no idea what to do next. With a long sigh, she thought of pressing the doorbell again. As soon as her hand was about to make contact with the doorbell, the door opened.

"Mei!"

"How dare you!"

In that moment, Yuzu was tongue-tied. But it was surprising, a bit shocking, yet adorable and delightful seeing Mei cry tears of joy in front of her.

Mei softly grabbed the front of Yuzu's uniform and brought her closer before leaning in for a kiss, to Yuzu's surprise. As Yuzu's world fell away with the gentle yet passionate kiss, Mei slowly closed the door.

* * *

A/N

Hi, everyone,

Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you liked it and enjoyed it.

Also, I'd like to take this chance to let you know how thankful I am for the birthday greetings.

Wolfmoonlight - Thanks for the sweet comment.

Tiffan8r - You're so kind and supportive and I'm glad to have met you. All the best on your stories.

elliehandesu - Thank you so much for the reassuring comment. I'm still learning how to be comfortable writing those scenes.

shiinade - Belated happy birthday to you. I hope you had a blast and thank you for taking the time to read the story and for writing such a wonderful review.

Tejot - I'm humbled by your comment. Never had I thought that this story would be able to brighten someone's mood. I hope your mom had a wonderful birthday celebration. And your first story was amazing.

Nejie - I appreciate all of your clever comments since Chapter 1. Thank you for giving this story a chance!

For the lovely guest reviewers, thank you so much. I love Bossa Nova and the Brazilian culture; so warm, friendly, and loving. I may continue 'Love and Forgiveness,' one of these days and thank you for reading that story as well. Also, for the one who wished to draw that hot air balloon scene, I would love to see your artwork, I wonder how they look like in stick figures. :)

To all the wonderful readers, my sincerest gratitude.

Have a beautiful day.


	17. Chapter 17 - Embracing Forgiveness

Chapter 17: Embracing Forgiveness

* * *

Frozen, Yuzu had no idea what to do next. With a long sigh, she thought of pressing the doorbell again. As soon as her hand was about to make contact with the doorbell, it opened.

"Mei!"

"How dare you!"

In that moment, Yuzu was tongue-tied. But it was surprising, a bit shocking, yet adorable and delightful seeing Mei cry tears of joy in front of her.

Mei softly grabbed the front of Yuzu's uniform and brought her closer before leaning in for a kiss, to Yuzu's surprise. As Yuzu's world fell away with the gentle yet passionate kiss, Mei slowly closed the door.

Upon seeing Yuzu, Kaoru jumped up on her so Mei broke off the kiss and bent down to lift the puppy.

"Kaoru," Mei said as she looked at the tag on the collar. Her heart was beating fast and she was struggling to contain her joy. Then she shifted her gaze toward Yuzu and fixedly stared at the blonde.

"Mei, I didn't know what to get you on your birthday." Yuzu hissed and softly brushed the back of her hair with her hand. "You already have everything. What more can a girl like you ask for?

"Thank you." Mei's eyes were glowing with joy which made Yuzu's heartbeat a little faster.

With the obvious pinkish tinge on her cheeks, Yuzu slightly turned her face down. She never expected Mei to be that happy about Kaoru. "Oh so, Mama baked a cake today and here's a slice for you," she said.

"Thank you, Yuzu. Would you like to stay a little longer?"

"Yes! Of course!"

 _I like this sudden change in mood._

As they made their way toward the living room, Mei turned around which surprised Yuzu who was behind her. Yuzu bravely planted a kiss on her cheek before proceeding to wrap her arms around Mei. Her heart was pounding hard and loud.

Unable to hide her emotions, Mei felt tears stream down her face as Yuzu tightened the embrace. They could almost feel each other's heartbeat. She could not deny the fact that Yuzu's presence had managed to break down the wall she built around her heart.

A bark from Kaoru broke that tender moment between them as he wiggled his way in the middle.

"You're a sneaky little puppy, Kaoru-chan," Yuzu hissed with a giggle masking a slight disappointment. Then she snuggled with Kaoru and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "But I really, really love you."

"What can I feed him?"

"About that, Mei. I have a bag of dog food at home. I forgot to bring it over."

"That's alright. I can ask someone to buy him some food."

"No. He still has so much left. I'll get it later after having our cake?"

With a nod and a gentle expression on her eyes, Mei agreed.

* * *

The following day at school.

"Yuzucchi, you look over the moon," Harumin said, walking beside Yuzu in the hallway. It was lunchtime and most students were frantically running to different directions in school.

"I do?" Yuzu retorted with an arched brow.

Because of Yuzu's denial, Harumin hunched her shoulders before taking a deep breath. "Look at you, that smile has never left your sweet face since the start of the day."

Yuzu replied with a chortle. Then across the hallway, she spotted Mei walking with the student council officers. She noticed about three male students slyly following them around.

"They look so desperate," Harumin said, referring to the male students. "With that charisma and beauty, the Prez will never run out of admirers."

With another giggle, Yuzu answered. She could feel a sweat on her forehead. Then she darted her gaze toward the raven-haired who was busy discussing with one of the officers.

I really love her.

"What do you think, Yuzucchi?"

"Huh? About what, Harumin?

"Geez! What has gotten into you? You're like floating on a cloud!"

Although the hallway was crowded and a little chaotic, Yuzu felt her world going into slow motion as she was about to literally cross paths with Mei. All the other voices drowned and all she could hear was the beating of her heart, and it was fast and wild.

As Mei and the others walked forward, toward them on the other side, Yuzu could feel her heart leaving her chest. How could Mei have such an effect on her?

In one fourth of a second, their hands brushed past each other. Their world stood still. As they slowly walked to the opposite direction, stealing glances, they felt a different kind of connection as if there was an angel tying an invisible thread on their fingers.

"Yuzucchi, are you even listening?" Harumin said, raising her voice and snapping her fingers, in the hope to bring Yuzu back to reality. She shook her head in disappointment.

In utter delight, Yuzu let out a sigh and held her hand close to her heart. That moment was enough to make her entire day. Turning her face to the side, her eyes were met by Harumin's arched brow.

"So you're back from a daydream?"

"Sorry, Harumin." Yuzu brushed the length of her blonde hair. "I was just stressed from our morning classes."

"You're not fooling anyone. You don't look stressed at all!"

"Well, um.." She looked away with creased brows. "Yeah, Mama bought some food supplements that effectively fight stress. So even if you feel pressured, it won't show on your face."

Harumin looked in closely and carefully inspected her best friend's face. Her eyes trailed from Yuzu's forehead down to her chin. "I see. No lines at all. Very effective."

Giggling against her nervousness, Yuzu averted her gaze and placed her hands behind her. "I highly recommend it."

"Sure!" Harumin perked up. "I'm having premature wrinkles from all our exams."

"Okay, then," Yuzu said, quickly turning her face to the back once more.

* * *

Opening the door in one the rooms on the third floor of their building, Yuzu vividly remembered how she was thrown into the Poetry Club. Upon entering the well-lit room, she sighed in relief. No one was around.

Checking the time on her phone, she pulled out a chair from the rectangular table in the center of the room. "I'm too early," she mumbled as she sat lightly in her seat. The silence was comforting. She looked around and noticed her poem framed on the wall. She got up and dashed toward it.

"It doesn't deserve a space on this wall," she said to herself as she moved from side to side. As soon as an image of Mei entered her mind, she took a deep breath and imitated her girlfriend's calmness. She looked up again and carefully read the title. "How embarrassing, it's really mine."

With one short exhale, Yuzu mindlessly searched for Mei's number on her phone and tapped to call her. When she heard a ring, she immediately ended the call and mentally kicked herself.

"What's wrong with me? Why would I call her? She's probably busy." Yuzu berated herself while returning to her seat.

All of a sudden, the door creaked open and a group of students hastened their steps inside.

"Yuzu!" One of the girls gushed, running toward the blonde. As soon as she reached Yuzu, she wrapped her arms around her. "It's been a while since we've seen each other," she said, loosening her tight hug.

"How've you been, Hitomi? Sorry for being absent for a lot of meetings."

"You've been busy with your project and Aihara-san has kept me updated about it. There's nothing to worry about and to apologize for," Hitomi said, releasing Yuzu from her arms.

"Mei has kept you updated?"

"Well, the truth is, I called her and asked for some update about your project and about you, Yuzu. You've been avoiding the club for a period of time and I started to worry.

Yuzu gave her classic response, a giggle and a smile.

"But I had faith in you and I still do. I knew, deep down, you'd come back and I wasn't wrong." Hitomi looked straight into Yuzu's eyes. "Oh those emeralds, how I miss looking into them. So magnetic yet so kind, getting lost into them is a delightful experience."

 _Here she goes again._

"You look lovelier than ever, Yuzu. Your eyes reflect fullness and wonder, something I've never seen before."

Yuzu looked away to conceal the growing embarrassment on her cheeks.

With a sigh, Hitomi stepped back. "This is just the way I am. I can't help but admire beautiful things."

"Thanks, Hitomi." Yuzu crinkled her eyes and nose as she stood from her seat. "Uhm, isn't it a bit embarrassing to hang that on that wall?" She pointed at her framed poem.

Hitomi proceeded to walk over to the wall while crossing her arms. "This is our wall of fame, Yuzu. Any work displayed here had to go through a voting process. Though it's not a strict process, the power lies in our readers. We posted your work on our online group and it emerged to be popular."

"What? Why wasn't I invited to join that group? I'm still part of this club, the last time I checked." Yuzu jibed. Her voice caught the attention of some members on the other side of the room.

With a smirk, Hitomi moved toward Yuzu. "I had a feeling you didn't want to be part of the Poetry Club. I personally did not send you an invite to avoid ruining your 'fashionable persona' in school."

"That's not fair, Hitomi!"

"I apologize for being assuming, Yuzu." Hitomi reached for her bag and fumbled for something. "To make it up to you, I'm giving you these." She enthusiastically handed a pair of tickets.

"Hey, you don't have to," Yuzu said, waving both of her hands in front of her in protest.

With an evil laughter, Hitomi made a dramatic turn. "These are really for you. Consider these as your prize." She turned around again and stretched her arms to place the tickets on the table.

Grabbing the tickets, Yuzu turned them around. Her eyes widened upon reading the details. "A weekend stay in Hakone Luxury Resort!"

"It's our family's business.I figured you need some time off from all the stresses in school."

"Why such a prize? That's expensive!"

Hitomi sighed deeply. "Expensive is objective. You can't pay luxury let alone pay to create good memories. You know what's truly expensive, Yuzu?"

 _Here she goes again with her lecture._

"Stress is expensive." Hitomi burst out laughing.

Yuzu bowed. "Thank you for the tickets, Hitomi, and thank you for accepting me again wholeheartedly."

Hitomi placed both of her hands on Yuzu's shoulders. "We never say goodbye in this club. We simply welcome our members back."

Moved by Hitomi's words, Yuzu wrapped her slender arms around the shorter girl. "I'm very sorry for my past actions."

"There, there, emerald-eyed beauty. I can forgive you in one condition."

"What's that condition?"

"Answer me honestly, are you and Aihara-san a couple now?" Hitomi whispered.

The unexpected question made her pulse race. Her skin suddenly became cold and clammy.

Hitomi burst out laughing as she escaped from Yuzu's arms. Her petite frame allowed her an easy way to slide down from the embrace. She stepped back to watch Yuzu's reaction. "Love is something that can't be explained."

It was different hearing those words from someone. As Yuzu looked at Hitomi, her emotions came up in profusion, swirling like untamed waves. Tears streamed down her face.

"Yuzu, what's wrong?" Hitomi pulled out a chair beside Yuzu and and gently placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "I apologize for asking something so personal."

After softly wiping away the tears on her cheek, Yuzu managed to to make an eye contact with Hitomi. She cleared her throat as she felt an enormous amount of trapped emotions waiting for release. "I love her so much," she said in a whisper, almost choking with emotions. "I feel like I'm not doing enough to honor this love."

Moving closer toward the blonde, Hitomi gently smiled at her. "Love doesn't require anyone to do anything."

"I never expected this to be this hard." Yuzu fumbled for a pack of tissue in her bag.

"My, my, Yuzu. Who says it has to be hard? Love, in and of itself, isn't."

"Not being able to share my happiness with others or keeping this a secret feels like I'm betraying Mei."

"No two journeys in love are alike. It's as unique as our fingerprints. Somehow, our society has pushed us to succumb to the pressures of oversharing our experiences. We have a choice to make detours."

"In other words?" The blonde arched a brow while wiping her tears away.

"The only way to be happy and to honor your love is to accept that it's unique and different."

 _Although this girl doesn't go straight to the point, she makes a lot of sense._

"Expectations, societal pressures, and our own beliefs are blocking us from experiencing the purity of love."

Yuzu let out a chuckle. "Hitomi, how do you know these things?"

"It doesn't matter, Yuzu. Finally, that smile on your lovely face has reappeared." The pixie-haired girl slowly rose from her seat and pushed the chair back in the table. "Always be on the crest of love."

"Huh? Hitomi, here you go again! What do you mean?"

Giving her signature smirk, Hitomi giggled as she fixed the forms on the table. "Being ahead of the wave causes anxiety. The opposite, behind it, causes unrelenting guilt and pain. The secret lies on the crest of the wave."

"Oh God! I'm having a mental breakdown."

"You're more clever than you give yourself credit for. Anyway, it's time for our weekly meeting," Hitomi said, carrying the forms as she politely excused herself from Yuzu.

While Yuzu watched her friend approach the other members of the club, a feeling of relief was washing over her body. She smiled to herself as an image of Mei flashed before her eyes.

 _I really love Mei._

Yuzu felt her cheeks getting warmer as her mind drifted into a scene where she shared the night with Mei in Hiroshima. Her heart rate increased when her mind settled into a particular image, the vulnerable yet adorable side of Mei no one knew about.

A familiar tone on her phone pulled Yuzu out of her thoughts.

"Hello?"

"What was the call supposed to be for, earlier?"

"Uh… Mei." Yuzu rose from her seat and walked over the large translucent window to her left. "I just wanted to know if Kaoru was causing you any trouble."

"Aside from peeing in the living room, he has been nothing but a well-behaved dog."

A giggle escaped from Yuzu's lips. "Yeah. I'm sorry. Kaoru still needs to be potty-trained."

"Tell me one thing, Yuzu."

"Sure. Yes!"

"Is that the only reason why you tried to call?"

Why does it feel so hard to tell Mei the truth? Yuzu raised the blinds and opened the window. "I really..." She leaned heavily and clenched her fist.

"I know." Mei's heart was beating fast on the other line.

"What do you know about, Mei?" Yuzu turned around and leaned back lightly against the wall. She was hoping Mei would say the words that were hanging in her head like a halo. Upon hearing Himeko's voice on the other line, Yuzu slumped her shoulders.

"Yuzu, I need to go back to the Student Council meeting. Tu me rends tellement heureuse."

"What a perfect timing, Momokino-san." Yuzu mumbled as she shifted to a different position. Upon remembering Mei's last sentence, she hissed, "Mei, what does that mean?"

"I'll see you around in French. Don't look it up."

"Okay, I'll see you, then."

 _I feel like it means something sweet but I couldn't pronounce it. I wish I recorded the call._

"Yuzu, come and join us." Hitomi waved her arm and made a gesture for Yuzu to approach the group.

 _I'll just have to ask Mei when I see her._

* * *

Night time finally approached and Yuzu was still stuck in the crowded train. It was rather unusual for her to get caught up in rush hour but because of the heavy rain in the afternoon, most railway companies stopped their operation for an hour for preventative measure.

When Yuzu stepped out of the train station, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

From: Mama

 **Yuzu, meet me at the grocery store. I'll be waiting for you.**

She shoved her phone in her pocket and smiled through the evening crowd as she hastened her steps forward. The grocery store was about ten minutes away by foot from the station. But with Yuzu's running prowess, she could reach the store in under five minutes.

Even though the streets were busy and the noises from vehicles started to fill the area, everything was organized and running toward any direction wasn't a pain.

"I feel like I got enough exercise for tonight," Yuzu mumbled as she stretched the length of her back upon reaching the storefront. She fixed her uniform before gently brushing her hair with her slender fingers. When her eyes darted toward the glass window, she grinned and hurriedly walked over to the store.

In order to surprise her mother, Yuzu tiptoed her way behind her. "Mama!" Yuzu gushed which caused Ume to almost drop a box of milk she was holding.

"Don't ever do that again, Yuzu!"

Yuzu wrapped her arms around her mother. "You're the best, Mama."

"Did something happen, Yuzu? I know you too well. When you're being clingy like this, I get worried."

"Geez, Mama! I just love you so much."

Ume simply let out a long sigh as she led Yuzu to the side of the aisle to give way to the other customers with their small carts. "Hey, I received a call from a business woman today. She was asking for my permission to allow you to go to France with Mei-chan."

With a giggle, Yuzu unwrapped her arms and gave her mother the gentlest of eye contacts. "We did it, Mama! We won! But they want us to represent our district in the event in France."

"Congratulations, Yuzu! That's why I asked you to meet with me here. You deserve a reward for your hard work." Ume grabbed Yuzu by the wrist as she put the box of milk back on the shelf. "I don't feel like cooking tonight."

Yuzu agreed with a smile and a nod as she linked arms with her mother out of the store. Her whole aura was brimming with joy. She felt the luckiest girl in the world to have a mother like Ume.

"Sorry!" A lady in an elegant tailored suit mindlessly bumped into Yuzu along the entrance pathway of the store.

"Ekko? Is that you?" Ume asked, staring fixedly at the woman who was shaking her head when she dropped some items on the floor. Ume bent down to help her.

"Ume-senpai." The woman hurriedly picked the items and placed them in her black stylish tote bag.

Before getting up, Ume read the label on one of the items. "This is a fragrance tester from one of my favorite perfume brands," she said, standing up. Her eyes still fixed on the small box.

"Yes, it's Jo Malone. Our best-seller for this month." Ekko said as she picked a couple of small items from her bag. "We opened an online boutique about two years ago and we're looking for new and fabulous products to sell. Here, Ume-senpai." She stretched out her arms toward Ume and handed her other small boxes.

"Expensive brands!" Ume passed Yuzu one of the boxes. It was a serum sampler from a well-known beauty company.

"Yeah," Ekko said, stylishly putting on her cat eye sunglasses.

"Is it necessary to wear sunglasses at this hour?" Ume hissed as she took the sampler from the box.

"Style is everything, Ume-senpai." She fixed the length of her freshly-dyed red hair. Her manicured nails complemented the vibrancy of her hair color. "Is she your daughter?" She looked at Yuzu with wide eyes.

Proudly pulling in closer with her left arm, Ume nodded with a wide grin on her angelic face. "Ekko-chan, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Yuzuko Okogi."

"What a beautiful girl." Ekko's eyes carefully analyzed Yuzu's facial features which made the blonde pretty uncomfortable. She softly placed her hand on Yuzu's right cheek. "You look a lot like your father."

"Oh, come on! Look at her eyes, they're mine!" Ume gently grabbed Yuzu's face to make her point.

"Mama, let go."

"Sano-senpai was the most popular guy in college because of his good looks and his quiet sense of confidence."

"Papa was a popular guy?"

"Yeah. Ume-senpai received a lot of threats when they got together."

"Ekko, let's keep those things in the past."

Yuzu turned her face to the side and made an eye contact with her mother. "But you never told me anything about that."

"Everyone was jealous when Sano-senpai chose someone so different from him."

"Hey Ekko. That's enough!"

"They were so different. But they made each other happy." Ekko took off her sunglasses and darted her gaze toward Ume. "Right, Ume-senpai?"

In defeat, Ume replied with slumped shoulders. Indeed, to others, they were so different but deep down, they knew their souls were cut from the same cloth. Ume straightened her back and gave Ekko a smile. "Hey, Kouhai. So, my daughter creates amazing organic perfumes and colognes. You might want to display their products in your online store."

"What a talented young girl! Sano-senpai must be very proud of you, wherever he is!" Ekko said in an almost patronizing voice.

"Well, Sano was the talented and artistic one." Ume looked to the night sky with a smile on her face. A memory of her husband flashed before her eyes. "He's happy wherever he is," she said in a low and soft voice before turning around to kiss Yuzu on the cheek.

Ekko grabbed Yuzu's hand and placed her business card on her palm. "Next week, visit our office let us know more about the perfumes and colognes that you make."

Drawing her hand back, Yuzu let out a soft giggle with a hint of nervousness. What was happening? The universe seemed to be on her side. She read the card and her jaw almost dropped.

"What's the matter?" Ekko tilted her head as she softly brushed the side of the shiny hair.

Forcefully closing her eyes, Yuzu cleared her throat. Her nerves started to spread throughout her body. "The CEO of your company is Maika Negishi, formerly known as Maika Aihara."

"How do you know her?" Ekko asked as she fixed the side of her blazer.

"Maika Aihara is Mei-chan's mother!" Ume exclaimed as she looked Yuzu in the eyes.

"Mei Aihara, her ingrateful daughter. You're acquainted with her?"

"She's not ingrateful! How dare you say that! You don't even know her!" Yuzu felt her hands shook after crying those words out loud. Her voice had managed to make some people stop in their tracks.

 _What did I just do?_

Yuzu felt her mother's left arm wrap around her as she tried to normalize her breathing by inhaling deeply. She felt a rush of heat on her neck that was rapidly making its path toward her cheeks.

Meanwhile, Ekko stood there, almost frozen in time. How could someone as young as Yuzu throw her off the loop? She wondered as her wide eyes stared fixedly at the blonde high schooler.

'Yuzu must be very tired from school. I'm sorry, Ekko-chan." Ume brought Yuzu closer to her side.

"No, Mama. Don't say sorry. She started it all. You can't just casually insult anyone behind their back!"

"Yuzuko, she's years ahead of you." Ume made a gesture for Yuzu to bow. Then her gaze shifted to Ekko who still looked speechless. Deep down, she was proud of Yuzu for standing up against her tactless Kouhai but she made sure not to show the pride on her expression. "Ekko-chan, we'll go ahead. Keep in touch." She gave her Kouhai a pat on the shoulder, hoping to ease the tension.

"Mama!" Yuzu exclaimed when she felt her mother's arm tighten her around her neck. With a short exhale, her body went along with her mother's sharp push as the latter tried to get her away from the scene.

"Let's go, Yuzu," Ume said in a whisper, walking arm in arm with her daughter. "What you did was wrong but I'm proud of you."

"Huh?"

"I didn't want give my Kouhai a bad impression on how I'm raising you." Ume playfully pinched yuzu's arm. "But I'm proud of you for standing up for someone you love."

Quite surprised by her mother's words, Yuzu turned her face to her mother.

 _Does Mama know?_

With a loud giggle which eventually turned into an evil laughter, Ume literally dragged Yuzu along a busy pathway, wandering about several establishments. They spent almost half an hour aimlessly walking before Yuzu finally felt her stomach grumble and so they settled for traditional Japanese food for dinner.

* * *

Only three hours had left before midnight when Ume and Yuzu finally made their way to the residential building. As they scurried their way through the strong wind, toward the entrance, the rain suddenly fell. Droves of passersby sought shelter under the glass roof of the building's frontage.

Walking through the entrance, Yuzu detected a familiar being from afar. About three staff members were playing and looking after a small-sized bundle of cuteness. Then when it turned its body toward her direction, it dashed, leaving the staff behind.

"Kaoru-chan, where's your Mommy?" Yuzu said in a high-pitched voice but when she realized the last word she uttered, a nervous giggle escaped from her lips. "Where could Mei be, Kaoru?" She said in a low whisper, avoiding making any eye contact with her mother.

"You spoiled little puppy," Ume gushed as she tried to snuggle with Kaoru. "You've grown since. And you look as handsome as ever." She lifted Kaoru up to carefully check his belly.

"Excuse me," a woman in an elegant white business suit dress said as she slowly made her way toward Ume and Yuzu. Her regal presence reverberated in the lobby.

 _It's Mei's…_

"You have with my daughter's dog. Can I have him back?"

"Maika Negishi?" Ume said with an arched brow.

"Yes, that's my name." Maika stretched both of her arms toward Ume, gesturing for her to return Kaoru.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Maika." Ume pulled Kaoru closer into a warm embrace.

"Is that so?" Maika said, lifting her chin up and slightly squinting her eyes.

"You're wearing an elegant Valentino suit and Kaoru is shedding like crazy," Ume said as she continued to snuggle with the puppy.

Maika turned to her side and flicked her thumb under her chin, ever so aware that having Kaoru's hair on her suit might not be a a very bright idea. She turned around and made a gesture at one of the building's staff to approach her.

"Negishi-san, what brings you here?" Yuzu casually asked, tilting her head.

Lifting her chin even higher, Maika turned her face to the side and made an eye contact with Yuzu.

"Does Mei know you're here?" Yuzu tilted her head to the other side, keeping a steady eye contact with the older woman.

Maika clenched her jaw and squinted her eyes, hoping to scare Yuzu away. Usually, people would back down and crouch in fear with her signature intimidation technique. But she slumped her shoulders and bent her head down after a couple of minutes. A sigh eventually escaped her lips. "She doesn't know."

"Aihara-san left Kaoru in our care an hour ago. She was wearing a formal dress and a tall man in formal suit accompanied her," the female staff said, keeping a short distance from Maika.

"Could they be dating?" Maika asked with her chin up. Her eyes reflected the vast amount of curiosity she had been hiding.

"No!" Yuzu sneered.

 _What's wrong with me?_

Cradling Kaoru in her arms, Ume stepped forward. "Mei-chan is a diligent girl. I'm sure she's simply carrying out one of her duties as an heiress. You know how it's like in high society, right, Negishi-san?" Ume said, her voice was a little patronizing in the last sentence.

Crossing her arms, Maika glared at Ume who was lifting Kaoru like a baby in her arms. Well, she had a point. Maika thought. She inadvertently pushed an enormous set of responsibilities to her daughter when she left her. Why would any mother in her right mind do such a thing?

"I'm sorry, Negishi-san. I didn't mean to be condescending." Ume reassuringly placed her hand on Maika's arm.

"I have no idea how to be a good mother," Maika said as she slowly turned around. Her chest grew heavy and she could feel a pressure forming on her throat. "Being here, wanting to see her is a wrong idea. I'm going." She released Ume's hand and hurried her way to the reception area. Everyone could hear her high heels click-clack in the lobby.

"Mama, do something." Yuzu took Kaoru from Ume. With a gesture, Yuzu encouraged her mother to follow Maika.

"Alright, alright! When did we reverse our roles?" Ume said as she slowly walked toward the reception area.

With a deep breath Yuzu felt a slight relief from the unexpected moment that had just occurred. Just like the weather condition in autumn, this day had been pretty much unpredictable. With the little puppy in her arms, Yuzu stepped forward and darted her gaze toward the entrance. The crowd had already been dispersed and only two stood outside, waiting for the rain to stop.

The mystery and beauty of the fall season had never failed to captivate Yuzu. As she made her way toward the entrance while looking out the glass panel, the rain reminded her of change and impermanence. With a deep inhale, she savored the present moment. When she opened her eyes, she saw a familiar sports car that stopped in front of the entrance.

"That's Aihara-san's date," the staff said as she moved closer to the entrance while pointing her hand at the man who got out of the car.

Yuzu smiled at the staff and politely excused herself. Then she proceeded to walk somewhere far from the entrance. An image of Mei in a lovely dress almost made her heart miss its rhythm. She turned her face away from the car.

 _Please, stop beating so fast._

"Yuzu!"

That familiar masculine voice echoed in the lobby, capturing the attention of a few people present in that hour.

Clearing her throat, Yuzu held her hand closer to her heart as she made a dramatic slow turn. But before she could cover all 360 degrees, the man swiftly grabbed her hand and kneeled down before her. The next thing she felt was an air kiss on her right hand.

"You look radiant and beautiful, my friend."

That definitely caught Yuzu off guard. She found her hand shaking slightly in its own will. Then her heart almost escaped out of her chest when she finally saw the person she was longing to see. Her eyes involuntarily followed that person's movements, dwelling in her presence that could effortlessly and quietly capture the attention of anyone near her.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you, Kaoru," the man said as he got up to pet the puppy. Unfortunately, Kaoru responded with a furious bark.

"I'm sorry, Kenji." Yuzu cradled the puppy while trying to pacify him with kisses. "How do you know his name, by the way?"

"I follow him on Instagram." Kenji said, fixing the front of his Armani suit. He looked as if he just stepped out of a fashion magazine.

"Instagram? Since when did Kaoru have an Instagram account?"

"Thank you for giving me a ride home, Kenji." Mei gracefully walked beside Yuzu, surprising the blonde with her gesture. In a split of a second, she squeezed Yuzu's hand before moving it over to Kaoru's furry head for a pat.

Yuzu leaned in closer. "Oh my God, Mei, you look so beautiful," she said in a low whisper.

For a moment, Yuzu's comment threw Mei off the loop internally but she recovered quickly and responded with a glare.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself." Yuzu looked away, hiding the blush that covered her cheeks.

"Thank you." Mei casually responded as she took Kaoru in her arms.

 _What? Did I hear it right? Mei thanked me!_

"Ladies, you're highly unaware that both of you are equally beautiful, I suppose." Those words had probably slipped a thousand times out of Kenji's lips and had landed on the ears of a couple of thousand women or more.

"What do I expect from the smooth-talking Mr. Russo?" Mei said in a stern way but her eyes were radiating playfulness.

"Those words are true, Aihara."

"Mei, you never told me that you created an Instagram account for Kaoru-chan." Yuzu looked at Mei with her usual curious expression.

Mei closed her eyes and suppressed a slight feeling of embarrassment. Unable to find the best response, she displayed a tight-lipped expression while pretending to scan the lobby.

"That pupper is popular among the ladies," Kenji said as he took the phone from his pocket. "By the way, I'm wearing a cologne from your collection. I have Aihara to thank for. I'm quite sure that I made a handful of ladies turn their heads in the event tonight." He cast a glance at Mei and Yuzu when he noticed an awkward aura between the girls.

Hearing Kenji's comment made Mei sigh deeply. Even though she was used to her childhood friend being a ladies' man but she couldn't help herself from sighing or rolling her eyes every time Kenji would make such a statement.

Kenji's phone rang and filled in the silence. It was from one of his restaurant staff. He excused himself and exited the building.

"Kaoru really likes you, Mei." Yuzu broke off the silence when she noted the puppy comfortably snuggling in Mei's arms. A smile unconsciously painted her face as she watched Kaoru. "But Kaoru's fur may stick to your dress."

"It's alright." Mei positioned Kaoru in a way that was similar to holding an infant.

Yuzu's heart melted at the sight of her beautiful girlfriend giving into Kaoru's cuddling wishes. Her heart was beating with joy. She clasped her phone in her hands before moving it closer to her chest.

 _How could that trashy bitch think Mei is ingrateful?_

Yuzu leaned in and gave Mei a sweet kiss on the cheek.

"What are you doing? We're at the lobby!"

"I don't know what got into me." Yuzu looked away and drew her head back. Her anxiety level was increasing.

"I'm not upset. We just need to be careful."

With all enthusiasm, Yuzu nodded in agreement.

* * *

"Mei!"

That voice. Mei was too familiar with that. How could she not be? It had made her feel happy to the point of unending joy but it also tore her apart when the source of that voice changed. With a glare on her face, she turned around and stared at the woman who was walking beside Ume.

Detecting the slight nervousness that was hiding underneath Mei's calm exterior, Yuzu reached out for her hand.

Mei's hand is shaking.

Yuzu gently squeezed her girlfriend's fragile hand. In that simple exchange, their hands conveyed the words their lips couldn't utter. Yuzu reached out for Kaoru and carried her in her arms.

"She's so grown up," Maika said, gazing admiringly at her daughter. Her eyes welled up she was starting to get cold feet. She stepped back and leaned against an upholstered seat.

"What are you waiting for? Go to your daughter now!"

"I can't, Ume. I don't want to hurt her anymore."

"When you were smoking like a chimney earlier, I could tell how much you miss Mei-chan."

"She hates me, Ume. Just look at her expression." Maika turned her face away and anxiously fixed the side of her hair. When she lifted her head, tears started to flow down her face.

With a soft exhale, Ume gently placed her hand on Maika's shoulder. "What's the worst thing that could happen if you talked to your daughter?"

Maika softly rubbed her left eye with her hand but the pressure in the pit of her stomach continued to increase making her eyes release more tears. She took a deep breath and instructed one of her staff to get her a small box of tissue.

"Rich people with family problems. How uncommon." Ume said. Her words reeked a combination of sarcasm and playfulness.

"I must do it. I need to talk to her!" Maika talked under her breath like a high schooler giving herself a pep talk.

"You see, our daughters are not extensions of us. They have their own minds. From how I see it, underneath Mei-chan's cold exterior, is a girl who longs for a mother's love. It's a puzzle piece that no one can ever fill in her heart but you."

"What if I hurt her again and leave her? I don't think I can ever forgive myself."

"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself?"

"Yes, I might be."

Ume grabbed Maika, turned her around toward their daughters' direction and pushed her. "Go!"

* * *

Two hours in, the rain had become even sharper as Yuzu collapsed in the sofa, waiting for any news or message from Mei. Looking straight into the glass window, the thick clouds blotting out the stars elicited a gloomy feeling in her. She checked her phone once more hoping to command a buzzing sound or hear a message tone to no avail.

 _I hope their talk is going well._

"Yuzu, don't you have to go to school early tomorrow?"

Yuzu almost leapt into the ceiling upon hearing her mother's voice. "Yeah, Mama." She struggled to answer as she sat in the large sofa. "I thought you were already sleeping. Your work starts early too, right?"

"I was thirsty so I went to get myself a glass of water." Ume said as her left hand gripped the clear glass of water. "You must rest your eyes from constantly checking your phone. It's not good for your vision." Ume proceeded to her bedroom as she spoke those words.

"Goodnight, Mama." Yuzu slumped on the sofa. It felt forever since she had last heard from Mei. When she tilted her head skyward, she could now see the stars that were hiding from the thick clouds earlier. They were bright and beautiful that she even got up and walked over to the large window pane.

The light from the stars were washing away the gloomy feeling she had earlier. She breathed in with a smile on her face.

 _Mei loves the sky this way._

A ring from her phone brought Yuzu back to reality. She hurriedly grabbed it and a wide grin appeared on her face as she looked at name of the caller on the screen.

"Yuzu, can I see you tonight?"

A sudden rush of blood filled Yuzu's cheeks with the delicate color of sweet bubblegum and strawberry-flavored cotton candy. "Of course! Where can we meet up?"

 _What am I saying? Why do I sound ridiculous?_

"I'm getting in the elevator. I'll see you at your place. Thank you for taking care of Kaoru."

"He's my baby too. I can't just leave him, you know."

"Little Kaoru is his Instagram account."

"Huh?"

"I thought you ought to know."

 _Does she feel guilty about not telling me previously?_

"Okay, okay. I'll check it out and support it."

"Don't be silly, Yuzu."

"Me? Silly? Well, who created an Instagram account for him in the first place?"

Yuzu bit her lower lip and mentally scolded herself when she realized her way of responding was a little off-putting.

"Please, open the door."

"Wait, what? That was quick. Be there in a sec, Mei." Yuzu dashed and in under half a minute, she was at the door, ready to open and welcome the raven-haired beauty.

"Good evening, Mei. How was…"

Before Yuzu could have the opportunity to finish her sentence, Mei greeted her with a soft and gentle kiss on the lips followed by a soft whisper of the words "I love you."

Being lost in those fleeting seconds because of the kiss, Yuzu missed the chance of hearing Mei say those sweet and magical words. The kiss was enough to fill her heart with a lifetime of joy. As the moment slowly faded, her mind became receptive to to Mei's last words, albeit the short delay.

"Mei, did you just say...?" The long pause at the end of Yuzu's sentence made Mei tilt her head in response. "Could you say that again, please?" The blonde sweetly pleaded as she opened the door widely.

"There's nothing to repeat, Yuzu. It must have been your imagination."

"Oh, come on! You said those words. You love me!"

A cute bark filled the dim lighting in the entrance as Kaoru excitedly dashed toward the them. Upon reaching Mei, he jumped without any care in the world.

"I love…" Mei intentionally paused, lifting Kaoru up. As the puppy settled comfortably in her arms, Mei slightly cradled him like a baby. "You, Kaoru-chan."

"I know you love me, Mei-san." Yuzu said in a soft whisper as she walked ahead of the raven-haired. Then she let out a 'victory giggle.'

"You really seem to think so?" Mei responded in her ever stern manner.

All of a sudden Yuzu stopped in her tracks and her face brimmed with a slight confusion. With a deep breath, a witty response flashed before her. "I really think that I love you," she said as she dramatically turned around to face her gorgeous girlfriend. Her eyes sparkled with a certain glow that radiated from her soul.

In that brief exchange of loving gaze, the little hardness in Mei's heart softened as each second passed. She looked away and turned around as her heart started to beat fast and loud. A deep breath was her refuge in that moment. "I forgot that I need to complete some important tasks tonight, Yuzu," she said in her usual low voice and neutral expression.

Yuzu reached out behind Mei for an embrace.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know, Mei. I just feel like doing this."

"You need to let go."

"I can't."

Contrary to her request, Mei felt her whole being melt in that loving embrace. She could feel Yuzu's heart beat so fast as if rivaling her own. "Please, let me go."

"Okay," Yuzu said, tightening her hug.

"Yuzu."

"I love you so much, Mei. This feels like a confession all over again. But my feelings for you will never change and I'll always keep my promise never to hurt you."

"You must stop watching romance movies, Yuzu."

"I meant every word that I said," Yuzu said, suddenly choking with emotions on the last word. She felt a tear escaped the corner of her eye.

Bending her neck slightly, Mei breathed deeply as if to stop her heart from racing but it wasn't complying.

"Mei, can we kiss?"

Yuzu's lips were so close to Mei's ear that her warm breaths were making the raven-haired weak in her knees to which she was counterbalancing by long sighs and deep breaths.

"Mei-chan."

That soft whisper from someone who just rose from the bed caused the sweet couple's anxiety level to soar.

"There you are." Ume dashed toward the entrance and wrapped her arms around Mei. "You should also be sleeping by now."

"Mama, don't be so forceful," Yuzu said while looking away to hide the blush on her cheeks.

Several barks from Kaoru filled the entryway with laughter from the mother and daughter duo. Then Ume tenderly gave the little puppy a pat on the head.

"Um. I have an early meeting tomorrow." Mei stepped back while keeping an eye contact with Ume. "Thank you for taking care of Kaoru," she said earnestly while bowing, this time.

Clasping her hands together, Ume creased her brows and looked at Mei with her most motherly expression. "You're such a princess, Mei-chan. But when you're around us, we won't judge you for acting like a normal girl." She turned her face to the back. "Right, Yuzu?"

"Yeah," Yuzu said hesitantly, almost whispering to herself.

"Thank you for your kindness. Maybe, I'll stay over next time."

 _Next time, huh? I wonder what we're gonna do next time._

The warmth on Yuzu's cheeks escalated to a new level, rendering her unable to think of decent thoughts.

"You're always welcome in our home, Mei-chan." Ume once again wrapped her thin arms around Mei. Then she made sure to give Kaoru a pat on his furry little cute head.

When Mei opened her eyes, she noted how Yuzu had been looking at them with the gentlest expression on her eyes. As they their gazes met, Yuzu approached them with a single step and rested her head on her mother's nape while casting admiring glances at Mei.

* * *

A meeting with the Principal...

"This is a great opportunity for our school to be represented in an international level. Who knows, in the future, we will be recognized as a top school for students with entrepreneurial minds." The principal eagerly shared his enthusiasm among the participants in the meeting. To further his excitement, he made a show of suddenly rising from his seat.

"Yes, Kocho Sensei," the two teacher participants said in unison while holding their documents in front of them.

"Aihara-san, the school will be counting on you and your partner in the annual event in France," the principal said with his chin up as he looked at Mei.

"Kocho Sensei, it's not a formal business event but just an annual party hosted by Ishihara-san." Mei respectfully replied.

"That Ishihara-san! He never gets tired of these things!" The principal shook his head as he adjusted the bridge of his eyeglasses before turning around to face the whiteboard in front of them.

Yuzu leaned sideways. "Uchida-sensei, how does the Principal know about Ishihara-san?" She said in a whisper, hoping not to get the attention of the principal.

"He was a delinquent!" The principal answered as he wrote the last agenda topic on the whiteboard.

"A delinquent, huh?" Yuzu brushed her thumb against her chin, looking ever so curious.

"Yes, he was, Okogi-san!" The principal answered before inhaling deeply. "But he's one of the most successful alumni in this school." He let out a long exhale before turning around again. "I misjudged him and sent him to detention a lot."

Everyone on the round tinted table was all ears. Mei and Yuzu were sitting closely to each other while the two teachers had some obvious silent distance between them.

"Once, I went over to his house. As I waited for him on the hallway, rehearsing the harsh lines I was meaning to tell him, he appeared with his clothes all dirty. He froze as soon as he saw me. Then an elderly man walked behind him and asked him who I was which he then answered, hesitantly."

The principal took a deep breath before scanning the participants' reactions. "The elderly man approached me and genuinely thanked me for nurturing a student like Ishihara. It turned out, Ishihara-san was helping him clean his old home where he and his wife first lived. Long story short, he donated this building because of Ishihara-san."

'Kocho Sensei, is everything okay?" Mei said, detecting a slight nervousness that was showing through the principal's slightly shaky hand and uneasiness.

"That day, I felt extremely humbled and swore to myself never to judge or dismiss anyone based on one particular negative trait in school. When his family returned to France, he followed them after graduating high school." The principal shifted his gaze toward Yuzu. "Okogi Yuzuko, I'll give you the same benefit of the doubt."

Shocked, Yuzu stared at the Principal with wide eyes as she pointed a finger at herself. "Kocho Sensei, why me?" She then turned to her side when she felt a hand gripping tightly on her left wrist.

 _Ugghh! I get it. Mei doesn't look annoyed but her grip is painful._

"I reviewed your grades, Okogi-san, and talked to your teachers," the principal said, opening the transparent folder on his side of the table. He grabbed a couple of sheets of paper. "You're barely passing Physics, Statistics, Social studies, and even Japanese language." A very long sigh escaped his mouth after emphasizing the last subject.

Yuzu bent her head down and stared at the printed material on the table as she felt the waves of embarrassment crept up in her system.

 _I'm such a loser. I'll never be as good as Mei._

"Your art teacher is extremely worried about you, Okogi-san." The principal said while shaking his head. "She said you've only ever produced artwork that were below mediocrity."

 _That's because art is HARD._

"I won't allow the both of you to go to Paris unless you will produce a decent artwork for Sayuri-sensei's sake." The principal let out another long exhale.

"What?!" Yuzu hissed, unconsciously slamming the table. Everyone darted their gazes toward her. "Kocho Sensei, it takes talent to do that and I don't have kind of talent," she said in a soft tone.

"Aihara-san, would you be kind enough to help your partner with her dilemma?"

"Yes, Kocho Sensei. I'd be happy to." Mei answered, bowing before the principal while secretly pressing Yuzu's wrist, almost stopping her girlfriend's blood from flowing.

The blonde sighed in pain. _It doesn't feel like she's happy about it._

"I can always count on you, Aihara-san. This school is lucky and honored to have you as a student."

* * *

Armed with the knowledge and skills she had gained over the past few weeks, Yuzu was now ready to enter an art battlefield. A set of pencils served as her weapons of choice and a sketchbook as her shield.

"If you fail this activity, I will not allow you to see Kaoru for a month."

Yuzu instantly dropped her stretched arms upon hearing Mei's threatening comment. "Hey, that's too harsh."

"Alright, then. I'll reduce it to three weeks."

"That's not what I mean, Mei. You're being too hard on me, you know."

With a long and loud sigh, Mei casually fumbled for something in her book bag. Then she took out a small notebook. "We only have five more days before our flight to France, Yuzu."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I attended the art crash course, every single day." Yuzu slowly turned her face to the side and detected an aura of worry underneath Mei's stern expression. "Mei, I never thanked you for what you did, for going through the trouble of arranging the crash course for me."

"There's no need to. I promised Kocho Sensei that I would look over your progress."

Out of nowhere, Yuzu stopped in her tracks. A sudden realization struck her which manifested into a wide grin. "Could it be that you're excited to go on this event with me, Mei?"

"Good morning, President Aihara," a girl, carrying a sketchbook greeted Mei as she passed ahead of Yuzu. Her smile was overpowering as if she saw a celebrity.

 _Doesn't this girl know anything about right timing?!_

"Oh. I'm sorry," the girl turned to face Yuzu and slightly bowed. "Good morning, Okogi-san."

Caught in a strange situation, Yuzu brushed the back of her head while letting out nervous giggles. _This girl is nice._

"May I call you Yuzu?"

"Of course. You can call me whatever you want."

Raising her heels, the girl leaned in to whisper in Yuzu's ear. "Umm. I heard you're also here for the 'last chance?"

Stepping back, Yuzu placed placed her bag in front of her. "Aren't we all here for our last chance?"

"This is torture, Yuzu." The girl hunched her shoulders and stepped away before walking over the concrete platform. "How can they expect us to make a decent artwork if it doesn't even come natural to us? This is punishment. Don't you think?"

Putting her bag to the side, Yuzu slowly approached the girl. She cast a glance at Mei and immediately they locked eyes with each other and without even saying a word, Yuzu had a feeling that Mei was encouraging her to talk to the troubled girl.

"I mean, no matter what I do, I can never paint or draw or do anything related to art." The girl reached for the red leaf of an adjacent tree. "This is beautiful. I wish I would be able to draw this but I just can't!"

Leaning in the concrete platform beside the girl, Yuzu propped herself up on both elbows before taking in the fresh autumn breeze with a long inhale. "Art doesn't always have to make sense to others or even to ourselves."

"What should we do if we get held back?"

"No one's gonna get held back." Yuzu gently patted the girl on the shoulder. "I don't exactly know what I'm gonna do or if I'll do it right but that doesn't matter because it's our willingness to take this last chance that counts, right?"

With a sigh of relief, the girl slowly turned to face Yuzu and gave her a smile. "I always thought you were dense, Yuzu, but I'm completely wrong. I'm sorry if I thought of you that way." The girl bowed at Yuzu with the utmost sincerity. "My name is Emiko."

"It's nice to meet you, Emiko." Yuzu waved both of her hands at arm's length to stop the girl from bowing.

The three of them turned their faces to the corner of the hallway upon hearing a collective noise. A group of four students and two teachers hurriedly made their way to the art room.

"You're here early, Emiko," one of the female teachers said as she dug in her bag to look for something. After a few seconds of searching, she pulled out a key. "So, we will be doing things differently today."

"Mom, please, don't make it too hard for us."

An audible sigh emerged from Yuzu. With wide eyes, she slowly turned her face toward Emiko. "Sayuri-sensei is your mother?" She tried to keep her voice down as she spoke those words.

"I get that all the time." Emiko clenched both of her fists as she bent her head down. "I just didn't inherit that artistic gene. I'm such a failure!"

"You're being overly dramatic, Emiko. Drawing, painting, or sketching aren't the only forms of art," Sayuri-sensei said, as she opened the door and made a gesture for everyone to get in.

Five students including Emiko made their way inside the art room while Yuzu remained behind. Her nerves were soaring as high as the birds in the sky. What if she failed? This question kept running in her mind. She was too absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't even realize someone held her cheek and brought her closer for a kiss.

"Stop fidgeting. You've already impressed Ishihara-san with your presentation," Mei whispered after slowly drawing her head back.

"What if I fail?" Yuzu's eyes started to well up. She looked away, thinking how silly her question was.

"It doesn't matter. It's your willingness to fight through your doubts or to take this chance that counts. Aren't these the words you used to encourage Emiko?"

Hearing those words, Yuzu felt an extreme amount of relief that she broke out in tears.

"You're such a crybaby. It's only an art class, Yuzu."

Covering her face with both of her hands, Yuzu slowly turned toward Mei. "I'm not crying because of that anymore. These are tears of happiness."

"I'm leaving."

"Stay, please." Yuzu gently held Mei's hand and gazed at her girlfriend with admiration glowing in her emerald eyes.

Never had Mei seen anyone who could hold a gaze long enough to melt something in her, a fraction of resistance that time built as a barrier to protect her fragile heart.

"Mei, I'm so excited to go on this event with you. We can visit coffee shops," Yuzu said, pausing and turning around with her hands clasped in front of her. Because of too much joy, the urge to scream was getting stronger so she curled her toes and inhaled deeply. "Then we can climb the Eiffel Tower and…" She slowly turned around and lifted her head up to lock eyes with Mei.

"Is that all you have in mind?" Mei said in her usual stern voice.

Yuzu hunched her shoulders in response. "There's no need to ruin my dream." She closed her eyes and focused on her defeated heart before a bright idea flashed before her mind, prompting her to reach for Mei's hands. "I have a lot of things in mind but making you happy is my top priority."

Whenever Yuzu tapped into that courageously romantic side of her, even the stoic Mei would have a change of heart. Mei hated how Yuzu had that power over her. She drew her hands back while keeping her ever neutral expression.

Taking a deep breath of boldness, Yuzu made a declaration. "OK! I'll do my best with this, Mei!" She leaned closer as she spoke those words.

Even though Mei wanted to pull away and to step back, she couldn't. Yuzu's words and her loving gaze were spellbinding, drawing Mei closer and closer until their faces were only an inch apart. The art room was hidden by swaying trees and the autumn leaves camouflaged the color of the building.

"Mei," Yuzu uttered under her breath as she allowed herself to be pulled closer until her racing mind calmed and her body started to move on its own.

The door creaked open.

"Do you know someone who can take over your place?" Sayuri-sensei said, walking out the room while talking to someone on the phone. She almost slammed the door shut unintentionally while walking a few steps away from Mei and Yuzu. "But we're in desperate need of a model for our art activity today."

"A model for our art activity?" Yuzu whispered to herself as the feeling of confusion started to replace the excitement she felt just minutes prior.

Sayuri-sensei took a deep breath upon ending the call. Her stress was beginning to show on her face.

"Are okay, Sayuri-sensei?" Yuzu slowly walked toward the teacher with a gentle nod of encouragement from her girlfriend.

"I'll be fine. I was thinking of introducing a new way, a fresh perspective, or a refreshing insight into our activity, however, some unforeseen event happened." Sayuri-sensei slowly turned around. She let out a sigh before making an eye contact with Yuzu. "Our model will not be able to make it today. I'm sorry."

"Why do we need a model, Sensei?"

"Well, I have always wanted my students to learn how to draw to capture the full essence of the human figure."

"Can't we do it using some photos online?" Yuzu grabbed her phone from her pocket and searched for photos of different types of models. "Sensei, we can use these." She then shared her screen with the teacher.

With a sigh, Sayuri-sensei darted her gaze toward the swaying trees. "That's perfectly fine, Okogi-san. However, there's a huge difference between drawing inspiration from real human figure and from a photograph. Practicing with the human form has so much to offer."

"But we just look the same in photos." Yuzu scrolled down her screen to find the perfect one.

"You can't capture movement, weight, balance, and tension in photos. There's something magical in studying how a model positions their hips to hold a pose." Sayuri-sensei said as she slowly moved past Yuzu. "When you master these finer details through real life drawing, your eyes will see them everywhere."

"Why does art have to be this complicated?" Yuzu tilted her head to the back as she inhaled deeply.

"Drawing humans fully clothed can be complicated because it's tougher to see the full scope of their poses. That's why figure drawing is primarily done nude."

"Nude?!" was the only word Yuzu uttered before her anxiety level skyrocketed.

"I understand why you're nervous, Okogi-san. It's confusing for people who have never done figure sketching or painting before. Anyway, there's no need to worry. I'll cancel the art class for today." Sayuri-sensei sighed deeply. "Perhaps, this is not a good idea after all."

"But Sensei, you worked too hard for this." Yuzu answered upon noticing how defeated her teacher looked in that moment.

Mei slowly approached Yuzu and the teacher. The afternoon breeze was softly blowing her jet black hair as the gentle rays of the sun highlighted her beauty as she walked toward them, making Yuzu gasp for air.

"Cancelling this class will have some consequences, Sayuri-sensei. Okogi-san might not be able to participate in our event in Paris and the rest of the students may experience delay with their grades, which in turn would hold them back from submitting their requirements for their chosen university's entrance examination."

"That's right, Aihara-san," Sayuri-sensei said with a desperate tone in her voice.

With her usual neutral expression, Mei shifted her gaze between Yuzu and Sayuri-sensei. "If it won't be too much of an inconvenience," she said with a brief pause while wearing a serious expression. "Allow me to volunteer."

Yuzu's bag dropped on the floor, creating a loud noise.

"Are you okay, Okogi-san?" Sayuri-sensei bent down to help pick Yuzu's bag as the blonde was sill dumbfounded from what she just heard. As soon as she stood back up, the teacher gave Mei a wide smile while nodding her head in approval.

"But Mei, it's…" Yuzu uttered before bowing at Sayuri-sensei and thanking her.

"There's nothing to worry about. We're all females and I'll confiscate all your phones before the start of the activity," Sayuri-sensei said before excusing herself to reply to a text message.

While Yuzu felt all nervous for her girlfriend, she noted how unflustered Mei looked in that situation. She shook her head while covering her eyes with her left hand. "Are you sure about this, Mei?"

"When was I ever unsure?"

"I'm not kidding here. They will see all of you, Mei."

"I'm completely aware of that."

"Aren't you a bit worried?"

"No."

"But Mei…"

Sayuri-sensei opened the door and made a gesture for Mei and Yuzu to get inside. "Thank you for doing us a favor, Aihara-san. I'm indebted to you," she said with a slight bow as Mei slowly brushed passed her to which the raven-haired replied with a polite nod.

While Mei remained calm with all that was happening, Yuzu could almost feel a sweat on her forehead. 'Why did Mei agree?' was the question that kept running in her mind as she entered the spacious art room. As she scanned the area, her eyes focused on the elegant settee sofa in the middle. It was strategically surrounded by six chairs in which she assumed where they would sit. But the sofa…

"Aihara-san, please come with me," Sayuri-sensei said, leading Mei to the changing room.

"Mei, you don't have to do this." Yuzu grabbed Mei's wrist as she walked toward the room.

With a slight sigh, Mei slowly turned around. When her eyes locked on Yuzu's, all she could see was the obvious worry emanating from those green eyes. "It's my decision to go through with this, Yuzu."

Knowing how stubborn Mei could be once she made up her mind, Yuzu bent down her head. Her hand was shaking and Mei could feel it.

"You do trust me, right?"

When Yuzu heard those words in a low whisper, she looked at Mei and gave her the most reassuring look. Her more upbeat expression made her girlfriend feel more confident with her decision based on the glow she noticed from her lavender eyes despite the stoic exterior.

"We only have this room for a few hours, girls. Aihara-san, it's time to get ready." Sayuri-sensei glanced quickly from inside the changing room. "Okogi-san, kindly tell the other students to be in their own seats. We're about to start in a few minutes."

"Yes, Sensei!"

* * *

Thirty minutes in, the settee sofa in the middle was still empty. Yuzu and the rest of the students waited for the art class to start.

"What's going on?" Emiko said impatiently as she closed her sketchbook. "What's taking them too long?"

All Yuzu could do was to shake her head in response. Murmurs spread in the room and some students began talking to one another. What was indeed happening?

"Let's ditch this, Yuzu. We have better things to do." Emiko grabbed her bag and slowly placed her belongings inside. "Besides, there's a concert nearby. Let's go watch it."

As soon as Yuzu was about to reply to Emiko, she noticed a tall figure in a black silk robe from the corner of her eye. Her heart almost leapt out of her chest.

"Oh, President Aihara looks so gorgeous," Emiko uttered as she gestured for Yuzu to turn her head into Mei's direction. Then all eyes were on the raven-haired beauty who was gracefully walking toward the sofa.

A soft classical music started to play in the background. "According to science, music helps our mind to relax and enhances our creativity," Sayuri-sensei said as she adjusted the volume of the track. "Make me proud, girls." She slightly dimmed the lights in corners of the room and turned on the light in the middle, making Mei the focus of everyone.

As the students settled and opened their sketchbooks, Mei removed her robe slowly and sat on the sofa before reclining, propping her elbows on, making her look as if she was sunbathing near a clear blue ocean. She looked calm, beautiful and a little… sensual.

 _What am I gonna do. I can't focus while she's that way._

Yuzu was sitting in the middle of five students, giving her more access to Mei's glorious figure. When she noticed Mei tilting her head backward, Yuzu almost jumped out of her seat. Closing her eyes, she felt her heart was having a life of its own that was moving in a fast pace, uncontrollably and stubbornly. From the corner of her eyes, she noted how calmly the other students begin to sketch. Their pencils were like wands, casting spells on their sketchbooks.

 _Here I am being such a failure again._

When a new track started to play, Mei subtly turned her head to the side and cast a glance at Yuzu which made the blonde even more nervous.

To avoid embarrassment, Yuzu moved her hands on the sketchbook, pretending to draw something while wearing a serious expression, an expression that could never fool Mei.

 _Just turn around and stop looking at me that way._

Shifting her gaze ever so often, Mei was aware that Yuzu was hiding under the pretense of drawing something or looking focused. So, she made an eye contact with the blonde again.

 _How can I focus?_

Mei shifted her gaze toward the ceiling and brushed the back of her hair.

With all her might, Yuzu began to sketch. Her hand moved to draw Mei's collarbone first. As she traced up the neck, a scene where she kissed Mei on that sensitive spot flashed before her eyes, making her breathing a little unstable, followed by a sigh.

It took a little while for her emotions to settle. As the wave of desire passed, Yuzu continued to sketch. Before she knew it, she was almost done tracing Mei's delicate shoulders.

"If you feel tired, don't hesitate to take a break, Aihara-san." Sayuri-sensei softly placed a pillow under Mei's back.

The students sitting on each end stood up with their sketchbooks and walked over to the front of the sofa. Now they have better access to the model's entire body. With their laser-like focus, they began to sketch, unperturbed by the model's nakedness.

Unlike those students, Yuzu only had about an ounce of focus in her. With one slight glance from Mei, her entire beingness shook. But she pushed through and now she was sketching her girlfriend's chest. She closed her eyes and gulped.

 _I can't do this._

"Nude sketching is all about capturing every aspect of the beautiful human form. After this activity, you'll certainly become better at appreciating the human body in all of its details," Sayuri-sensei said in her soft voice as she walked around to check the progress of the students. "Drawings and sketches of the human body will forever capture our imaginations."

While listening to her teacher's words, Yuzu continued to draw despite her uncontrollable heart rate and the warmth that was settling below her navel.

"You're doing a brilliant job, Okogi-san." Sayuri-sensei leaned in closer. "The chest area needs a little more refinement. The way to capture that area beautifully is to observe the model and appreciate the finer details of her breasts."

If it weren't for the dimmed lighting, everybody would have noticed the flaming red blush on Yuzu's face as she took a quick glance at Mei.

* * *

A/N

Thank you for reading.

A huge 'thank you' to everyone who has been reading and following this story. Over the past weeks, I hit a major block. I started to question my writing abilities. Never have I written anything this long to save me. But you guys have been so kind and encouraging that you made me discover the joys of writing. Not only that, your words have overflowed in my personal life that I had the courage to take advantage of an opportunity that came my way in the last week of September. That said, I realized that I could only do one thing at a time. Forgive me if it took a while to make an update on this story.

Azul, thank you for reading this story. I felt a little guilty reading your last comment. I hope that I have not made you upset.

wolves are so cute, it's an honor that you find this story cute. Thank you so so much!

Cher, thank you for reading and for waiting :)

To the lovely guest reviewers, I sincerely do appreciate your comments. I wish there's a way to thank you and to address you appropriately. :) Thank you for taking the time to read this story and to share your thoughts. I love you all.

Coldmushi, welcome back to fanfiction!

wolfmoonlight, thank you for falling in love with the previous chapter but I couldn't take them to Australia just yet.

Nejie, thank you for the lovely comment and for another witty ending to it. Doors are just mysterious, aren't they?

elliehandesu, thank you for the sweet, sweet comment. I hope Taro would find his own love story.

Tiffan8ar, you're one of the greatest and amazing people. I appreciate your comments, each one of them.


	18. Chapter 18 - A Fallen Leaf

Chapter 18 - A Fallen Leaf

* * *

"You're doing a brilliant job, Okogi-san." Sayuri-sensei leaned in closer. "The chest area needs a little more refinement. The way to capture that area beautifully is to observe the model and appreciate the finer details of her breasts."

If it weren't for the dimmed lighting, everybody would have noticed the flaming red blush on Yuzu's face as she took a quick glance at Mei.

"You're holding the pencil too tightly." Sayuri-sensei guided Yuzu's hand as the blonde loosened her tight grip. "Let it breathe, Okogi-san."

Bowing at the teacher, Yuzu expressed her gratitude in a low whisper. Sayuri-sensei walked around and checked the other students' progress, leaving Yuzu in her own battle. Her heart rate had never returned to normal. "This is impossible," Yuzu said in between breaths.

No matter how hard she tried to focus all her energy into creating a masterpiece, her mind wouldn't comply. Intimate moments she shared with Mei kept distracting her from her task.

Unlike Yuzu's extreme nervousness, Mei had shown no trace of anxiety. She was as still and serene as a dove flying in the sky, at one with her surroundings, ever aware of her body. Once more, she slowly turned her face to the side and noticed how uneasy Yuzu was in her seat.

Was volunteering to be their model a wrong idea?

"Yuzu," Mei said, soundless.

Yuzu almost jumped out of her seat as she read Mei's lips. She stretched the length of her arms to ease the tension in her body but it wasn't helping so she stood up and moved from side to side.

 _At this rate, I think I'm gonna fail._

"Sensei," Mei said in a lower but softer tone. "May I have a short break?"

"Of course, Aihara-san. Do take your time," Sayuri-sensei responded along with a nod while trying to focus on giving her daughter's work some feedback.

The rest of the students stopped drawing as Mei slowly got up the sofa and donned her robe. Her eyes darted toward Yuzu and silently uttered the words, "Come with me."

With a long exhale, Yuzu followed Mei in the changing room while some students went outside.

 _I wonder what she wants?_

Upon entering the room, Mei locked the door to Yuzu's surprise.

"Mei," Yuzu nervously uttered, avoiding an eye contact with her girlfriend.

"I wanted to talk to you in private," Mei said as she straightened the side of her robe. "You have to concentrate."

With a gulp, Yuzu turned her face forward to look at Mei. But with one glance, she immediately turned beet red.

"Yuzu, listen to me. I'm not exactly certain on how or what you are going through right now but I need you to focus on what you're supposed to accomplish."

Looking away, Yuzu stepped back as she crossed one arm over her shoulder.

"Tell me, what exactly is bothering you?"

Yuzu looked up at the raven-haired and with one blink, tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry, Mei. I tried…" she said, choking on the last words, "very hard."

"Why are you crying?"

"I feel really guilty whenever I look at you."

"Guilty?"

"I just remember everything. I couldn't focus because of that."

"I see."

"I.." Yuzu looked to her side and stared at the doorknob. "I'm sorry."

With a long sigh, Mei took off her robe. "Yuzu, I want you to try to look at me, objectively."

"Huh?" When Yuzu turned forward, she froze in her place.

"If you keep reacting that way, I doubt that you would be able to pass your art class."

"But?" Yuzu stammered as she shut her eyes."

"Keep your eyes closed." Mei grabbed Yuzu's hand and softly placed it on her chest."

 _Her heart isn't beating fast like mine._

Mei moved Yuzu's hand down to her stomach. "Your hand is shaking."

 _What is she doing?_

On the right side of her waist, Mei slowly moved Yuzu's hand. "Try to think of something else while you're touching me."

With wide eyes, Yuzu stared at Mei. "What do you mean?"

"You won't be able to succeed unless you have that desire."

"Desire?" Yuzu drew her hand back.

"Sexual desire in your mind. It's normal. We're lovers and I'm helping you get rid off that, for your art class' sake."

When Yuzu heard those words, she instantly felt her heart rate normalize. The blush on her face began to subside. She bent down to pick the black silk robe and handed it to Mei.

"You owe me a big favor," Mei said as she put on her robe.

 _Just when I thought she was selflessly trying to help me._

On the spur of the moment, Yuzu wrapped her arms around her slender girlfriend. To her surprise, her body didn't have any weird reaction. She had a lighter feeling about everything.

"Will you please let me go?"

"I feel really safe and warm hugging you like this," Yuzu said to which Mei responded with a long sigh. "I love you. I really, really love you."

* * *

Lunchtime, the following day...

The news about their cafeteria adding a traditional autumn food, Matsutake Mushroom Soup, in their menu circulated in the campus and Yuzu and Harumin wanted to have the first taste of that dish. They ran toward the cafeteria after tidying up their desks.

"Yuzucchi, we better hurry up," Harumin said, gasping.

The rain started to fall, capturing Yuzu's attention as she admiringly gazed at the sky.

"For goodness sake, Yuzucchi." Harumin walked back and grabbed Yuzu's wrist. "Are you even listening to me?"

Leaving her with no other choice, Yuzu just went along with Harumin. "What are you in a hurry for?"

"It's the time of the year for my favorite mushroom soup and our cafeteria makes the best version of it ever!"

"Yeah, yeah. Okay, Harumin."

"Come on. Let's hurry up!"

Upon reaching the cafeteria entrance, the rain poured heavily and the clouds covered the sky, leaving the duo only inches from getting completely soaked.

"Thank God!" Harumin blurted as she fixed the front and sides of her uniform.

"I guess mushroom soup is perfect for today's weather," Yuzu said, brushing the length of her hair with her palm.

Within minutes, the rainfall became massive, soaking every open corner in the campus. Harumin grabbed her phone and started to take a video as the rain increased in intensity. Lightning spiked through the cloudy sky followed by a clap of thunder that prompted Yuzu to jump in her place.

"Oh my, looks like someone's afraid of thunder." Harumin focused her phone on Yuzu while chuckling.

In slight annoyance, Yuzu covered her face with one hand as she walked toward the door. "Whatevs!"

"C'mon. You can't be that serious. I was kidding and it's just thunder. Don't you love the rain?"

"As long as it doesn't surprise me with thunder," Yuzu jibed while wiping some drops of rain on her cheek.

"Girls, the first afternoon class is cancelled! I have an important meeting to attend to so enjoy your lunch!" One of their teachers shouted as he hurriedly passed by with a huge umbrella, carrying a couple of books and a folder.

A long sigh passed through Harumin's lips as she continued to film the billions of raindrops falling from the sky, admiring the symphony they created. "Isn't today a good day, Yuzucchi?"

"Not sure about that," Yuzu said with a slight frown before taking a deep breath. When she opened the door, her eyes instantly darted toward someone who was sitting near the glass window. "Yes, it's a good day," she uttered.

"Hey, Prez! The mushroom soup is delicious, isn't it?" Harumin unabashedly waved her arm at Mei.

"Don't you have any shame?" Yuzu slowly whispered, bending and shaking her head as she tried to hide behind her best friend.

"It is!" Mei responded, almost raising her voice but keeping a neutral expression.

"See, Yuzucchi." Harumin turned around to face her flustered friend. "What's wrong?" She placed the back of her hand on Yuzu's forehead.

"I'm not sick, Harumin." Yuzu turned her face to the side and quickly cast a glance at Mei before looking away. She smiled at herself.

 _God._

Harumin grabbed Yuzu by the wrist and led her to the line that formed at the counter. "Why are you smiling?"

"Not smiling." Yuzu forcefully creased her brows and crossed her arms as she fell in line, casting quick glances at Mei whenever Harumin looked away.

Nearing the cafeteria counter, the heavenly scent of mushroom soup filled the area and Harumin took a long inhale. "This is what I love about autumn and rainy days," she said, slowly and almost whispering to herself.

"What would you like to have?" A guy behind the counter said. He was tall with short brown hair.

"The cafeteria's special for today," Harumin said, flicking her chin with her thumb as she looked at the other dishes on display. "And that!" She pointed at a side dish before quickly withdrawing her last choice.

"And how about you, Miss?" The guy looked at Yuzu after he was done serving Harumin. His words fell on deaf ears as Yuzu kept stealing glances at Mei. "Would you like to try our Matsutake Mushroom Soup?" He said, raising his voice a little, prompting Yuzu to snap out of her distraction.

"Uh, yes please!" Yuzu responded with a slight bow, hiding the pinkish tinge on her cheeks.

"Why do you look so flustered?" The guy casually asked as he prepared Yuzu's meal.

"No, I'm not." Yuzu squinted her eyes at the guy before widening them a few seconds after. "Hey, aren't you in the soccer team?"

"I am. I'm also in the cooking club," he said, giving Yuzu a half smile. "Been seeing you around with Aihara-san. You've also seen us play and we were there during your slam poetry."

Yuzu smiled at the guy as she moved from side to side. "Yeah, that's why you look really familiar. I'm Yu…" Yuzu managed to say before getting interrupted.

"Yuzu. Okogi Yuzuko. You're quite popular for someone who just transferred here." He placed three small tetra packs of orange juice in the tray. "You're beautiful. I'm quite surprised that you're still single."

"Well…" Yuzu quickly glanced at Mei from the corner of her eye and shifted her gaze at the guy. "I'm…" she said before getting cut off again.

"You have other priorities. I see," the guy said, arranging the napkins in the tray. "So if you're single, why don't we date?" He continued in an ever so casual way.

"Don't you let anyone finish their sentence?"

"I'm sorry, Okogi. By the way, my name is Tomoya Hero. It's with an 'E' not with an 'I'. A pleasure to meet…" It was his time to be cut off.

"Hero, I'm not single, okay?" Yuzu grabbed her tray and slowly walked away. Her chest tightened and she felt a rush of heat on her neck. The kind of sensation she'd get when she was forced not to tell a secret.

 _But I'm not single._

Looking out the glass wall, Yuzu focused on the patterns the rain had left. The traces of drops were like constellations that can be molded according to your memories or your liking. Nothing was ever set in stone.

"What're you looking at, Yuzucchi!" Harumin's voice brought her back from her thoughts. "Hurry up! Your food will get cold." She was just a table away from Mei.

As Yuzu walked over to Harumin, she locked eyes with Mei and quickly looked away. With a deep breath, she eased the tension in her chest. "Mei, can we sit with you?"

"Yes." Mei answered without any trace of hesitation.

In a split second, Yuzu dashed toward Mei's direction and pulled out the wooden chair beside her girlfriend. When she placed her tray on the table, Harumin pulled out a chair from the other side.

"Thanks, Prez!"

"Perfect timing, Harumin," Yuzu mumbled before letting out a sigh of disappointment.

"Saying something, Yuzucchi?" Harumin fixed her cup for the soup as she took a whiff of the hearty meal.

The cafeteria had some peaceful ambience and it wasn't crowded, contrary to Harumin's expectations. The wooden tables were draped with soft floral patterns in blue cloth, creating a nice contrast.

Yuzu shook her head in response to Harumin's question before darting her gaze toward Mei who was sitting beside her.

You're having the mushroom soup, too, Mei! It's delicious, isn't it? Yuzu's face was brimming with unexplainable joy as she placed her cup on the table. "Look how cute that is." She pointed at the mini clay teapot where the soup was served.

"Stop that, Yuzucchi. Let the Prez peacefully enjoy her meal."Harumin turned her face around to see if the rain started to fall again. Then she poured out the broth of the mushroom soup from the teapot into Yuzu's cup. "Eat up, Yuzucchi."

Mei let out a soft exhale while observing how Harumin was acting in front of Yuzu. With subtle glances, she picked out the vegetables and slivers of chicken and shrimp from the teacup and put them into Yuzu's cup to the blonde's surprise. "You should listen to Taniguchi-san," Mei said as she proceeded to focus on her own cup.

 _What's all of this?_

"Thanks for the meal," Harumin prayed, breaking off the slight tension that had silently formed between the couple. "See, even the Prez agrees with me. Autumn's the time to enjoy a good dish with friends," she said with a smile on her face before taking a sip of the hot soup.

Taking a quick glance at Mei, Yuzu nervously smiled to herself. In her silence, she picked a piece of chicken with her chopsticks from her cup and ate to her heart's delight. "This is delicious," she hissed.

"Told you so!" Harumin quipped, watching Yuzu pick a piece of vegetable this time.

Yuzu took a deep breath, inhaling the delicious scent of the soup. In that brief moment, her world stopped and her worries vanished.

"How long will you stay that way?" Mei said in her usual tone, cutting Yuzu off from her bliss, while she picked a vegetable from her cup.

From the corner of her right eye, Yuzu noted that Mei picked the same variety. She let out a sigh of quiet joy. "You also like that, Mei?" she asked, tilting her head, with a wide grin on her face.

With a sigh, Mei turned her face and had locked eyes with Yuzu which made the blonde clear her throat in surprise.

 _Those eyes..._

"It's delicious," Mei casually said after eating the vegetable and turning her face forward, away from Yuzu, to pick a piece of shrimp from her cup.

"What other dish do you like in fall season, Prez?" Harumi said after taking a sip of the hot mushroom soup.

Mei sighed softly, placing her left hand on her lap as she carefully remembered the autumn memories she had, so far. All eyes were on her. Yuzu patiently waited for her answer while staring at her.

Two minutes in, Mei still hadn't said a word but her expression changed, prompting Yuzu to place her right hand over Mei's left hand.

 _Why does she suddenly look sad?_

"I love Nabe. My grandmother makes the best Nabe in autumn and winter." Harumin said with an enthusiastic gesture.

"Haven't had Nabe in a while, Harumin." Yuzu said, pressing Mei's left hand, ever so observant of her girlfriend as she glanced constantly from the corner of her eye. "Can I go visit your home?"

Mei drew her hand back. She gripped her cup and said, "When I was little, we used to travel to Hokkaido in autumn and winter. I remember eating Ishikari Nabe from a local restaurant and I would always crave for it in cold days ever since."

"Nabe is perfect in cold days," Harumin responded while making a sign for Yuzu to eat her food after noticing the gloomy expression on her best friend.

With a long inhale, Yuzu tried to calm the tension that had built up in her chest while searching for some answers as to why Mei coldly drew her hand back. Upon exhaling, she instantly grabbed Mei's hand the moment she noticed her resting it on her lap, prompting the raven-haired to glare.

 _I don't get it._

She tightened her grip before letting out a subtle smile of victory which made Mei turn her face over to Yuzu's direction.

"How about you, Yuzu. What kind of Nabe do you prefer?" Mei asked, staring coldly at Yuzu.

"Is that a trick question?" Yuzu answered back with nervous giggles as she mustered up the courage to maintain an eye contact with Mei.

 _Just what is she trying to do?_

Yuzu gently squeezed Mei's hand before looking up at her with her head slightly tilted down. "I like the one you just said," she answered without giving much thought.

 _Oh God!_

"I see," Mei said, allowing Yuzu to interlock her fingers with hers.

"I'll try making Ishikari Nabe then," Harumin casually said. "Why don't you and the Prez visit our place this weekend?" She said, tilting her head to the side while locking eyes with Yuzu.

With a light sigh, Yuzu turned her face to the right and noticed how Mei was staring fiercely at Harumin. "Um, I have something important to do this weekend," she said.

"That's too bad." Harumin rested her head on her palm before taking another piece of meat from her cup. "I bet grandma would be happy to teach me how to make Ishikari Nabe."

"Why don't you go, Yuzu?" Mei cast a quick piercing glare from the corner of her eye.

With a gulp, Yuzu closed her eyes. The sound of her heartbeat could wake a sleeping beast. "I need to help my mom out with something," she said, looking all focused at Harumin.

"That's alright, Yuzu." Harumin adjusted herself in her seat. "Why don't I help you with that?"

"With what?" Yuzu replied while squeezing Mei's fingers.

"That thing with your mom." Harumin set aside her chopsticks.

 _Harumin, give it up already!_

"It's too personal, Harumin. Don't want you to get too involved with it, okay?"

"What a drag!" Harumin let out a sigh before fumbling in her bag. "I can help you with anything you know," she said while looking at her reflection on her phone and fixing her bangs.

"Thanks but…" Yuzu said before getting interrupted.

"Taniguchi-san is offering to help you. Why don't you allow her to?" Mei said in her usual tone, focusing on her meal.

Yuzu tightened her grip on Mei's fingers, hoping to put a stop to her girlfriend's antics. "It's…" she said, pausing and slightly turning her face to her right, "too personal."

Harumin's phone rang, breaking the subtle tension between Yuzu and Mei. After excusing herself, she made a dash to the exit.

"Will you, please, let go of my hand?"

"Not gonna happen."

"What made you decline Taniguchi-san's offer?" The tinge of displeasure on Mei's voice was becoming obvious.

"Because…" Yuzu took a deep breath. "I was lying."

"Why would you lie about it?"

Clearing her throat, Yuzu turned to face Mei. "Because you're.." she softly scratched her nape before turning her face away.

 _I'm gonna mess up with my words again._

"Did you think I was jealous?" Mei turned, at last, to face Yuzu. The small traces of warmth evaporated from her eyes.

In that moment, Yuzu's sense of reasoning left her faster than a bullet train, rendering her unable to respond.

"I wasn't and I think it's a waste of energy to dwell on such an emotion." Mei's stern way of speaking prompted Yuzu to nod hesitantly.

 _You're such a bad liar._

Yuzu burst into a fit of laughter which only lasted for a few seconds after Mei gave her a glare. "I'm sorry, I was just so nervous."

"And you're using laughter to cope with it. I see."

"Course not!" Yuzu said before gulping nervously. Then her eyes darted toward the soccer field as the rain poured heavily. She didn't know why she was fascinated by it. Before she could make sense of things, a painful sensation crept from her hand as the sight of lightning disappeared from her vision.

The sound of thunder enveloped the entire school and Yuzu felt her hand tremble. Another lighting episode followed and she swore she could feel the fast beating of Mei's pulse just from holding her hand.

"I am not afraid of lightning," Mei said in her firm voice.

Yuzu rested her other hand on top of Mei's. With gentle stroke, she finally calmed her trembling hand down. "I believe you," she said under her breath.

With every second, the rain grew heavier, fogging up the windows, its sound reverberating in the cafeteria. But Yuzu remained calm, her whole aura was exuding serenity. As her eyes captured Mei's, a smile escaped from her lips.

* * *

The sudden drop in temperature below fifteen degrees Celsius and students in their winter uniform were enough signs of the beginning of a new season, a season that Yuzu would rather skip through. But she was ready for the day. Her orange scarf that was stylishly wrapped around her neck reminded her of the sun in summer days, except with a finite warmth.

She took a deep breath upon reaching the faculty office. Fixing the front of her scarf, a thought of hesitation flashed before her, prompting her to turn around and take small steps away from the office. An image of Mei replaced her doubts and she stopped in her tracks.

 _I did my best._

"Okogi-san, what are you doing there?"

Yuzu bowed before the teacher. "Good afternoon, Uchida-sensei."

"What brings you here?"

"Sayuri-sensei asked me to see her today."

"Then why were you walking away?" Uchida-sensei shook his head as he fixed the books he was carrying.

"I'm sorry."

"Students from this generation are easily discouraged. Such a shame." The teacher mindlessly spoke as he led Yuzu to the faculty. "She sits in that row, her desk is from the left," he said pointing his hand at the empty desk before proceeding to walk to his desk in the opposite direction.

Yuzu bowed as the teacher walked away. Her knees started to go weak and when she turned around and saw Sayuri-sensei, she almost dropped to the floor.

"Okogi-san."

Hearing her name out loud made her heart leap out of her chest. She took a respite in a deep breath.

"Okogi-san, come here." Sayuri-sensei made an enthusiastic gesture.

Yuzu started to feel her feet getting heavier as she slowly walked toward the teacher. When she passed one empty desk, her legs stopped. Her hands started to shake uncontrollably so she forcefully jumped from her place to ease the tension.

"You better hurry up! We only have thirty minutes left for the next class."

"Yes, Sensei!" Yuzu walked fast enough leaving her anxiety behind. With a few feet left, she tripped over the wooden chair.

 _Dammit. I didn't see you there._

Her pain tolerance was so low that she almost blanked out for a few seconds. Slowly, she straightened her back before inhaling deep enough to bring herself back to her senses.

"Be careful, next time."

With a sigh, Yuzu opened her eyes. She managed to nod and smile despite the overwhelming pain. Another deep breath finally settled the pain and she began to walk like an elderly, hyper-aware of her surroundings.

"Thanks for taking the time to meet with me, Sayuri-sensei," Yuzu said before giving her teacher a bow.

"Have a seat." Sayuri-sense pointed to the seat across her desk.

As Yuzu walked to the chair, the tension increased a hundredfold. She looked around and felt everyone's eyes were on her, piercing through her nervous soul.

"You look as if a gallon of blood had been drained out of your system." Sayuri-sensei opened her drawer and mindlessly searched for something. "Relax, Okogi-san," she said, taking out a small notebook and placing it front of her.

"Sensei," Yuzu said almost in a whisper, darting her gaze toward the yellow notebook. With the low temperature in the office, Yuzu felt her stomach ache a bit as she struggled to remain composed in her seat.

"So, Okogi-san."

Hearing her teacher spoke those words in a serious tone made Yuzu's heart pound. Her eyes were as wide as a baseball field covered in snow.

"I had a meeting with the principal earlier today and he shared about the agreement between the both of you."

"Y-yes." Yuzu gulped and slightly swiveled her chair to the side.

A sigh slipped out of Sayuri-sensei's lips which instantly escalated Yuzu's anxiety.

"Sensei, please tell me if I made it or not."

"Okogi-san, I have to be honest with you." Sayuri-sensei breathed in as she folded the edge of a notebook page. "Art isn't for the weak-hearted. Even though you tried your hardest to produce a decent artwork but it still isn't enough."

 _You don't say, Sensei?_

"I'll make another deal with you. When you're in Paris, I would like you to visit Lake Montgeron. Take some photos or write a poem while you're there. I heard you and Aihara-san did a marvelous job on your spoken poetry performance."

Yuzu sprung from her seat and leaned forward. "Does that mean that I passed your art class?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Okogi-san. All I'm doing is letting you off the hook for now. You still failed our final activity but I'm giving you another chance."

"What does that mean, Sensei?" Yuzu tilted her head, which prompted Sayuri-sensei to sigh and wonder if Yuzu was just playing dumb.

"What I want you to do is to take this opportunity to travel while you're young even if it is for a competition, still, you deserve this chance." Sayuri-sensei leaned toward Yuzu. "I wouldn't want to rob you of this opportunity." She sighed and walked toward the coffee machine.

Yuzu looked as if she transcended her current consciousness with no words appearing in her mind. Though her eyes were wide open, the expression was blank.

"I'll make you a cup of hot chocolate, Okogi-san," Sayuri-sensei said after a short exhale before walking away from Yuzu.

Even before Yuzu could have the chance to process what she just heard, a buzz from her phone made her lose her train of thought.

 **How was your meeting with Sayuri-sensei?**

Yuzu's lips curved upwards as she read Mei's message.

* * *

A/N

Hi, everyone. How are you doing? Thank you for reading this chapter.  
Also, I appreciate the comments that you left and the private messages that you sent. Thank you for taking the time to do so.  
I always feel humbled to receive words of encouragement from you.  
Hope you'll enjoy your week.

Thanks so much for sticking around. I love you all!

Xoxo


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